THE RIPPLE EFFECT, BOOK 2: TWO OF THREE
by H.G. Stewart
Summary: A direct sequel to the previously completed 'Three Days'. All I'm gonna say here is if you haven't read Three Days yet STOP NOW and go look for it! Enjoy you little angst lover you!
1. Chapter 1

_**Welcome, friends, to Hazzard County. I know you think it's a might peculiar to see ole' Jesse Duke sittin' on the stoop at the back door there just lettin' the rain fall all over him, but I want to assure you, there ain't nothin' wrong. Ya see, most city folks resist things of nature. They have a whole collection of umbrellas and they take a bar of soap to their hands ever chance they git. But if ya really want the feeling of peace, then try sittin' out next time there's a soft fallin' rain. Ain't nothin'll relax you quicker, and it's a might cheaper that them massages they offer in them fancy salons. Ya might even stop thinkin' us country folks are as funny as ya thought.**_

"Hey Uncle Jesse." Daisy offered in greeting, appearing in the doorway behind him. "You're up early."

"Hey yourself." Jesse replied. "Guess I could say the same for you."

"Well it sure wasn't easy. Can't nothing lull you back to sleep better than that soft rain fallin' on a metal roof." Daisy stated. "But rain or no rain, it ain't gonna change the fact that there's breakfast to be made and clothes to be mended."

Uncle Jesse frowned. "I thought J.D. had you goin' in to the Boar's Nest today to help repaint his office."

"Oh he is, that's why I got up early to attend to everything here."

Jesse sighed, closing his eyes and lifting his face toward the rain one more time before rising from where he sat. "Well in that case, you start on the mendin' and I'll take care of the breakfast. Don't look like we're gonna be able to work the field today anyway."

Daisy nodded in agreement and settled into Jesse's favorite easy chair where the sewing was already set up. She held up a needle and threaded it before picking up a pair of jeans that belonged to Luke. Looking at the gash in a lower leg, she recalled how it had gotten there—the fight at Oldfield Cemetery.

It was odd thinking about the fight between Luke and escaped convict Horace Mantooth one week earlier. In a certain sense, it seemed like ages ago while in another, it seemed only moments.

As Jesse dabbed his face of the rain water and began banging around in the kitchen, Daisy looked up when she heard the door to the boys' bedroom open.

Luke gingerly stepped out, closing the door softly behind him. Tiptoeing away a bit, he rubbed some stiffness from his bare shoulders before offering Daisy and Jesse a ….

"Mornin'."

"Good morning." They replied.

"Glad to see you're fixin' my jeans there, Daisy." Luke nodded. "The pair I've been wearin's a might too small, been cuttin' into my sides."

"Most of the gash is right in the seam." Daisy commented, holding them up so Luke could see for himself. "Once I get 'em fixed most folks won't be able to tell there was anything wrong with 'em to start with."

As Luke nodded, Jesse threw in. "Wish we could go out 'n just get cha a new pair, but that probably ain't gonna happen 'till harvest time comes along."

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "Don't fret over it, Uncle Jesse. We've had a whole week of peace and quiet. Apparently even ole' Boss's kept Rosco and Enos outta our hair. Now a week without trouble, that's gotta be Duke record, so don't ruin it by sweatin' the small stuff."

Jesse smiled. "I suppose you're right." But then he frowned. "How's that leg of yours?"

Luke walked around a bit to show that his limp had all but disappeared. "Almost good as new."

"And, Bo, did he sleep good last night?"

Luke sighed. "See, there you go again. Tryin' to find somethin' to worry about."

"Well I can't help it." Jesse snarled. "It's unnatural not to have somethin' to fret over in this family."

Luke chuckled. "Well in that case, yes he did. I'd say it's the best night's sleep he's got since the whole---- incident, 'least if them logs he's sawin' in there's any indication."

"Well if he's sleepin' good, let him be for awhile."

Luke grinned. "So is ya head all clear now? No more worries?"

"None for me, but Maudine and the chickens are liable to work themselves into a tizzy if they don't get their vittles soon."

Luke nodded. "I'll get to it."

Not wanting to wake Bo yet, Luke opted instead for the oversized rubber barn boots that sat outside on the porch. Slipping inside quickly, he opened the door and started trudging toward the barn, enjoying the rain that danced on his shoulders.

As he walked, Enos pulled up in his patrol car. Luke thought about how just a few weeks ago, the site of Enos would have put a knot in his stomach, because it usually meant that Boss had sent him their way to arrest them on some trumped up charge. But ever since a deaf dog named Goldie had become an unintentional matchmaker, Enos- and his patrol car- were now just part of the landscape.

"Mornin' Luke." The deputy greeted him, exiting the patrol car.

"Hey there Enos. You're a might early. Daisy ain't due at the Boar's Nest 'till ten." Luke advised him as Enos had taken to driving Daisy to work every day.

"Oh I know that Luke, I'm here for breakfast. Daisy just called me on the CB a few minutes ago."

"Ah." Luke nodded. "Well she's in the livin' room right now. You go on in and say hi. I've gotta git over to the barn and feed the livestock."

" 'k Luke. See ya in a few minutes!"

As soon as Enos was gone, Luke did as he said, first feeding Maudine. As he poured oats in her bin, she pressed her nose against his arm, rubbing up and down. Luke smiled and petted the old mule who was looking for a little affection. He then turned his attention to the chickens.

Soon he was called into the house to eat. Going back onto the porch, he discarded the barn boots and grabbed a shirt from the laundry basket Daisy had left lying in a chair. After he had buttoned it up, he entered the house.

"That sure smells good, Uncle Jesse." Luke commented, the aroma of bacon wavering through the air.

"Well sit down and we'll see if it tastes as good as it smells." Jesse suggested as Luke sat down. Jesse then took his seat at the head of the table while Enos and Daisy sat together on the side opposite Luke.

"Wait a minute, aren't we gonna wake Bo up?" Luke asked.

Jesse shrugged. "Don'tcha think it'd be better if he slept? I mean, it's his first good night, and we can always wrap up a plate for him."

"He may almost be awake anyway. He's slept a long time." Luke pointed out.

Jesse nodded. "Well, won't hurt to ask, long as ya do it real quiet."

Daisy smiled. "I'll go find out." She offered before getting up, pausing long enough only to plant a kiss on Deputy Strait's cheek.

As the men waited to pray, they prepared to eat, pouring out the milk, unfolding the napkins and such.

"UNCLE JESSE! UNCLE JESSE!" Daisy yelled frantically.

The way in which she yelled quickly grabbed their attention. Simultaneously, they all jumped up from the table and rushed to her.

"Uncle Jesse, somethin's wrong!" Daisy wailed, looking in the boy's bedroom with both hands over her mouth.

Luke, Enos, and Jesse all peered in the bedroom, each responding with identical looks of shock.

_**Don't ya'll go lookin' at me ta find out what's goin' on. I been sittin' right here the whole time.**_


	2. Chapter 2

Bo lay on the bed, laboring to breathe, his eyes shut as he thrashed around a bit.

"Everybody relax, I think he's just having a nightmare." Luke said, holding his hand up as he entered the room. He quickly walked to Bo's bed and lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Bo." He said softly. "Bo, wake up."

Bo continued to thrash around, his arm swinging out and knocking the alarm clock off the stand.

"Bo. Wake up!" Luke said more firmly this time.

Bo gasped and sat straight up in the bed, his eyes opening. He looked around with a wild expression for just a few moments before fully realizing he was in his room. Once he did, he took a deep breath and looked up at Luke.

"Just relax. You had a bad dream." Luke assured him.

"You….you can say that again." Bo replied, swallowing and taking another deep breath.

"You think you're gonna be okay, Bo?" Jesse asked from the door.

Bo looked toward his uncle and noted his worried expression. "Yeah, Uncle Jesse. I'm okay now."

Jesse offered him a slight nod. "Alright then. Well, you can go back to sleep if you want to, or you can come on to the table. Breakfast is ready."

"Yes sir." Bo replied, getting out of bed. He was plenty awake now.

Luke gave him a pat on the arm. "I'll go back to the kitchen and leave you to get dressed."

Bo simply nodded as everyone went back to the table. Going over to his closet, he pulled out a blue t-shirt and slipped it on before changing out of his pajama bottoms into his signature jeans. Finally slipping his yellow shirt on, he opened the door and joined the family at the table.

"Everybody ready?" Jesse asked, folding his hands.

Each responded with a nod, folding their hands and bowing their heads.

"Dear Lord, we thank the for your blessin's today, for the rain and for the food, and we continue to thank you father for bein' with Bo last week and keepin' him safe and sound. Amen."

"Amen." They all said in unison.

Immediately after, they all passed the bowls around. Jesse eyed his youngest nephew, waiting until he had started eating to ask what he wanted to.

"Say Bo, that must've been some dream you had in there." He began.

He watched as Bo stopped chewing momentarily before he continued. He then swallowed and looked at his Uncle.

"Um, yeah." Bo replied, looking as if he were thinking back on it. "It was awful, Uncle Jesse. You's in it."

"I was?" Jesse asked.

"Yep. You, Daisy, and Luke here. We's all over at the lake on a boat and it come up a big storm. They's lighnin' all around us. We paddled and paddled but couldn't never get to shore. It's horrible."

"Oh." Jesse replied, secretly relieved. He had been afraid Bo was having dreams about the Horace and Charlie incident, but apparently it was just a random nightmare. "Well we'll just have to make sure to listen to the weather reports 'fore we go out on the lake anymore, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Bo replied with a slight chuckle before he took another bite.

"Say fellas." Daisy began, wrapping her arm around Enos'. "With all this rain there ain't gonna be much to do on the farm. Why don't ya'll come over to the Boar's Nest with me and help with the paintin'? That way it'll get done faster and me and Enos can go to the drive in over in Capitol City tonight."

"Help you paint? Well what's in it for us?" Bo complained.

"The satisfaction of knowing you helped your cousin of course." Daisy replied.

"Is that all?" Luke asked.

"What do you mean 'is that all?' Isn't that enough?"

Bo and Luke replied by shaking their heads.

Daisy laughed a bit. "Then don't worry about it. I'll just tell Suzanne and Lilly that ya'll couldn't make it."

"Wait a minute! Suzanne and Lilly?" Bo asked, he and Luke perking up as the names of their latest pursuits were presented.

"Yeah. Didn't you know? They're coming over to help me today."

Bo grinned mischievously. "I'll be there!"

"Me too." Luke agreed.

**_Uh huh. Don't ya'll think it was no coincidence that Daisy had Suzanne and Lilly come in to help her. She ain't dumb._**

XXXXXXXXX

Later that night, around three, Luke was in the kitchen drinking a glass of water and looking out the window, admiring the moonlit fields. He hoped that Jesse would consider it too wet to work in the fields the next day, since it had rained most of the previous one. Luke had missed out on his chance to rest when Daisy's little paint job turned into an all day affair.

After he had set the glass in the sink and was tiptoeing back to his room, he heard what sounded like a struggle coming from within.

"Bo?" He asked, quickening his pace.

Some of their neighbors had reported a prowler in recent days, and since the boys always kept the window cracked a wee bit, Luke imagined that the prowler may have targeted the farmhouse, entering through their room.

He arrived in the room to make out the form of Bo grunting and thrashing. Remembering that Bo had Tommy Vineyard's baseball bat from the Frothy Camp propped in the corner, he grabbed it up and turned on the light, preparing to attack the prowler.

Instead, he found Bo all alone, apparently in the midst of another frightening dream.

"Bo." He whispered, setting the baseball bat back down and going to his cousin. "Bo you're dreaming."

"Lemme alone!" Bo replied, although Luke wasn't quite sure if he was talking to him or to an unknown perpetrator in his own mind.

"Bo, wake up!" Luke commanded softly.

Again, the younger Duke sat straight up in bed. Looking around wildly, his eyes settled on Luke.

"Ah Luke." Bo sighed, taking a corner of his sheet and wiping his forehead. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"You didn't. I's already awake." Luke replied as Bo continued to take deep breaths. "You okay now?"

"Yeah." Bo replied, looking at Luke's gaze that held an unasked question that needed answering.

"It's another dream about the lake. Must have my mind on all that rain we had."

"Yeah, that must be it." Luke replied, nodding a bit. Although he was starting to have his doubts, he figured if there was anything else going on, Bo would talk to him when was ready.

"Listen Luke, be a pal and don't tell Uncle Jesse about this, huh? I saw the way he's lookin' at me this morning and there ain't nothin' to worry about, so let's not give him a reason to start up."

Luke looked him over one more time before he sighed and nodded. "Okay, Bo. You sure you're alright?"

"Go!" Bo replied, pointing to Luke's bed. He then settled back down on his pillow and watched as Luke turned off the light and got back in bed himself. Not long after that, Luke was snoring.

But Bo didn't go back to sleep that night. He lay awake, thinking.

Thinking about the worried expressions on Jesse and Luke's faces.

And wondering why he couldn't sleep without finding himself back in that dang coffin.

I**_ feel sorry for ole' Bo goin' through that, but I'll feel more sorry for him if Jesse finds out he's lyin' about them dreams. 'Cause if he does, folks, that's when the fertilizer's gonna hit the fan._**


	3. Chapter 3

The next day it was still too wet to work in the field. Luke was happy when Jesse made that announcement, but sobered up pretty quick when he found out his Uncle had already made plans for them. As soon as breakfast was over and Daisy was gone to the Boar's Nest, Jesse sent Bo and Luke up to Cleveland to fill up the back of his truck with bags of feed. Seems Mr. Lewis, the Auctioneer, got wind of a real good deal on the stuff and Jesse just couldn't afford not to buy any.

Seeing the boys off, Jesse snuck back in the house, deciding to leave the breakfast dishes for now. Going over to his easy chair, he leaned back, grabbing up the latest edition of the weekly newspaper. He savored the rare moment of peace, one in which everyone else was gone and all the chores that could be done were, sans the dishes that shouldn't take long.

He had barely started on the first page when the door of his kitchen opened and he heard someone fall inside with labored breathing.

Tossing the paper to the side, he quickly got up and ran to the kitchen. Seeing the form that laid there, he stopped.

"J.D.?" Jesse asked as Boss Hogg huffed and puffed. "What in the world happened to ya?"

"Oh Jesse!" Boss began, struggling to stand to his feet, finally being able to with Jesse's assistance. "Jesse, ya gotta help me, they're tryin' to kill me!"

"Who is?"

Boss took a couple more deep breaths. "Lulu…..Lulu and Rosco!"

"Alllllllllright doughboy." Rosco began, talking into a bullhorn as he came in the door after Boss. "You know the rules. No breaks 'till we git to Dixon Pond."

Boss stopped huffing and puffing instantly and gave Rosco a hard stare. "The next break around here is gonna be your arm if you call me doughboy again!" He announced, jerking the bullhorn out of the sheriff's hand.

"What's goin' on here?" Jesse had to ask, finally realizing for the first time that the white suit Boss Hogg wore was a sweat suit instead of his normal attire.

"What's goin' on is I been runnin' for the last half hour about to collapse at any moment while Hazzard County's worst here has been drivin' alongside me munchin' on a doughnut." He gulped for air at seeing the leftover breakfast on the table. "That's another thing, Jesse. They been starvin' me to death too. You don't mind if I make myself a lil ole plate, do ya?"

Without waiting for an answer, Boss grabbed a plate and dumped what was left of each dish onto it, sitting down as he prepared to eat. Jesse snarled at the site, as he had made enough breakfast to heat up for the family the next day as well.

"Well actually J.D……" Jesse began, being interrupted by Rosco as Boss prepared to put the first bite in his mouth.

"That's right. You just go ahead and fill that belly up, little fat buddy. Build all them calories back that ya just burned off. But don't git mad when I tell Lulu on you, 'cause she made me promise."

Boss jerked his head toward Rosco. "You can't!"

"I could."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would…..er will."

With a pained expression, Boss dropped the fork and rose from his seat. "Alright, you win for now. But you keep it up Rosco, and I'll send that fat sister of yours back to live with you, cause it's gettin where even I can't afford to keep her around no more!"

"Ah." Jesse smiled. "So you're tryin' to shed a little weight, huh J.D.?"

"Well it certainly ain't by choice. Lulu went and got herself an Atlanta newspaper the other day and read about one of them fancy hypnotists that's supposed to be able to help you control your eatin'. And she done called him up here to use that mumbo jumbo on the both of us. Now do you think I'm ah gonna sit there and let some M.D. wanna be try that brainwashin' stuff on me? No siree bob! Besides…." He continued, breaking off a piece of a biscuit and popping it in his mouth. "I gotta lot better things to spend a hundred dollars on than a bunch of hogwash!"

"Like a day's worth of groceries." Rosco chimed in.

"Like a day's worth of…." Boss stopped short and looked at the sheriff with an annoyed expression before he relaxed and shrugged his shoulders. "Like two days worth of groceries."

"A hundred dollars?" Jesse asked.

"That's how much that fool doctor charges for an hour of his time." Boss clarified. He reached for another pinch of a biscuit, only to be slapped away by Rosco. As Boss opened his mouth to give him a piece of his mind, Rosco shook his finger at him.

"Anyway, I don't care how good he is. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is worth two hundred dollars an hour. Not even me. I'm county commissioner around here and the most I'm worth is…"

Rosco interrupted with. "Ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents!"

"Humph! Rosco! Would you keep your big trap shut?" Boss scolded him.

"Sorry Boss, I's just rememberin' that time that the ladies auxiliary needed a guest speaker and you showed up and deducted the appearance fee from the county fund. It was exactly ninety-….."

"Would you just hush up?" Boss whispered as Jesse looked at the pair quizzically. "Ya gotta be careful when you say stuff like that around these Dukes! You know how they are, always stickin' their noses in other people's business. We sure don't need none of 'em down at the courthouse huntin' the county records!" He then turned back to Jesse. "Anyway Jesse, the only way I could talk Lulu into lettin' me outta that quack session was to agree to this whole diet and exercise regimen. I swear….." Boss began, looking as if he were about to cry. "…..losin' this weight's gonna kill me."

"Well it certainly ain't helpin' you none by standin' around in here smellin' all that fattnin' food them Dukes had for breakfast. Tell you what. Let's go on and make our way to Dixon Pond. Then when we get back to town I'll make you a nice breakfast of your own."

Boss smiled in excitement. "You mean like a plate full of ham with a dozen scrambled eggs and some biscuits on the side?"

"Not exactly. It's more like a cup full of oatmeal with a couple of strawberries and a tall glass of water on the side."

"Water? For breakfast?" Boss wailed.

"Well ya gotta keep hydrated with all this exercise." Rosco pointed out. As Boss followed Rosco back out the door, he snuck a biscuit from the table, hiding it under his shirt. Jesse walked to the door and watched as the pair continued on in the direction of Dixon Pond.

XXXXXXXXX

The next morning, at three, Luke was awakened by Maudine, who was out at the barn braying. He sat up and turned on the lamp, listening a moment before he sprang from bed.

"Bo!" He exclaimed, turning to look at the younger Duke. Seeing Bo resting peacefully, he decided to check things out himself. It had taken convincing and total exhaustion for his cousin to fall asleep the night before, even after a hard day of moving fifty pound feed bags.

Luke opened the door and rushed to the kitchen, where he took the side door going outside. Looking for anything he could use as a weapon against the prowler-if that's who it was-he reached down and grabbed a thick stick from the ground as he ran.

Reaching the barn, he groped the air for the string that extended from the overhead bulb. Finally flicking it on, he observed the scene in front of him.

"Buster! You ole' rascal. Whatcha gettin' poor Maudine all in a tizzy for?"

Buster was a dog that belonged to their neighbors, a dog that was a little too friendly for Bo's taste. The love that the dog had for Bo balanced the hate it had for Maudine, and it'd taken to aggravating her every chance he got.

The dog's attention quickly turned from Maudine to Luke, offering him the same excited attention normally reserved for Bo.

"Take it easy boy! I ain't Bo!" Luke ordered the dog, who began jumping on him continuously. The dog settled back a bit and barked, wagging it's tail madly as it looked at Luke's hand.

Luke frowned in confusion at the dog's attitude. He then turned to see what got the dog's attention.

Instead of the stick he thought he had grabbed, Luke found out that his weapon of choice had been a rather large bone that Buster had obviously abandoned at the tree outside.

Laughing, Luke went to the door and hurled the bone as far as he could. Yipping in excitement, Buster charged after it.

As soon as the dog was gone, Luke offered Maudine a reassuring pat before quickly killing the light and closing the door, so the dog could not get back in that night.

As he started back for the house, he heard the sound of a crash coming from inside. He looked up and noticed that the lamp to his and Bo's room went out abruptly.

Because the window was closer than the door, he simply ran up to it and peered inside. From what he could tell, Bo was on the floor between the two beds, thrashing around.

"Oh no." Luke muttered, opening the window wide. He then put his foot on the hose reel that extended from the house and hoisted himself up into his room.

"Bo! Bo wake up!" He ordered before he could even reach his cousin. He rushed over to turn on the overhead light and turned, looking at the scene in surprise.

It appeared that Bo was fully awake--and simply going mad! He was on the floor, the sheet that was still wrapped around him having saved him from most of the jagged edges of the busted lamp. He struggled to get out of the sheet, reaching for the handle on the drawer of their nightstand, pulling the drawer all the way out forcefully and dumping the contents on the floor.

"Bo! Bo snap out of it!" Luke ordered, hurtling over his bed and taking Bo by the shoulders.

"What's goin' on?" Uncle Jesse asked from the door, his eyes widening in surprise as Bo pushed Luke off of him and began pawing through the drawer contents.

"Bo! That's enough!" Luke exclaimed, grabbing his arms and turning him over away from the glass in an effort to bring some sense to him.

As Luke held him down on the floor, what he saw made him gasp.

Bo's lips were tinged blue! He looked around with wild eyes as he struggled to breath.

"Dear Lord!" Daisy exclaimed, not mistaking what was going on although she hadn't seen Bo this way in over five years. "He's having an asthma attack!"

_**Ain't nothin' took Bo's breath away like that since the 9th grade when he went fishin' at Dixon Pond- and Lora Leigh Hawkins was there skinny dippin'.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Now Luke knew why Bo had been acting crazy. The drawer was where he used to keep his asthma inhaler, and if Luke could remember right, there was still one in there.

"Uncle Jesse! Come over here and sit with him!" Luke commanded, leaving Bo alone only a second as he went through the drawer contents himself. Jesse quickly took his place, sliding one arm under Bo's neck and holding one of his hands, gritting his teeth against the pain as Bo crushed his hand with all the strength he had.

"Try to calm down, Bo. You're gonna be alright." Jesse soothed him, although he himself was worried.

"There it is, Luke!" Daisy exclaimed, pointing under Bo's bed where some of the contents had scattered.

Luke quickly looked and plucked up the inhaler, taking a fraction of a second to note the rust that had appeared on parts of it. Mentally crossing his fingers, he put the mouthpiece between Bo's lips and hit the pump.

"Breathe Bo." Jesse ordered as Bo took a deep breath. "Again Luke."

Luke pumped it again as Bo breathed deeply. Luke let out the breath he had been holding as Bo began to calm down.

There you are, just stay here and keep breathing deeply." Jesse commanded.

After a few moments, the youngest Duke rose into a sitting position. The first person he focused on was Daisy, who was brushing tears from her eyes.

"Oh now don't look at me like that, Daisy." Bo said as he breathed deeply. "I don't want nobody feelin' sorry for me."

"It's not that Bo, it's just that it was so scary." She admitted, trembling.

"I'm sorry." Bo replied, looking at everybody. "I guess I didn't grow outta that stuff after all."

"Ya ain't got nothin' to be sorry about,but it is peculiar." Jesse replied. "With all this rain, you'd think the pollen would be down. There were always two things that set ya off as a kid. Bein' in a bunch of pollen and…." He paused, looking at Bo with a knowing expression. "……..bein' real upset about somethin'."

Luke sighed, looking at his cousin. "Bo, you was dreamin' again, wasn't you?"

"Luuuuuke." Bo trailed off, shaking his head 'no' slightly at his cousin to tell him to be quiet.

"That's the third time in as many days, Jesse!" Luke continued. "Now you can't expect us to think it was no lake dream again."

"Luke, you promised you wasn't gonna say nothin'!" Bo complained.

Jesse looked at Bo as Bo pressed his forehead to his knees. He then turned his gaze to Luke. "Why wasn't I told about this?"

"'Cause I didn't want you to worry, Uncle Jesse." Bo explained. "Ain't no need to. I'm sure it'll all pass 'fore we know it."

Jesse sighed, reaching to put a loving, knowing hand on Bo's head. "Last week?" He asked, not receiving a reply. After a moment, he continued with. "Guess it didn't all turn out quite as well as we'd hoped, huh?"

"It ain't no big deal, Jesse. It all could've turned out a lot worse."

"Oh you won't hear me arguin' against that. But I do think it would be a good idea if you went into town in the morning and saw Doc Appleby."

Bo looked at him with a pained expression. "Don't do me that way, Uncle Jesse! I don't need to talk to him. I'm just dreamin', I ain't goin' crazy!"

"Well who said ya were? You've come through things before and I know you'll come through this. But that don't mean we can't get ya a new inhaler just in case this wasn't an isolated incident."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, Luke drove Bo to Doc Appleby's office. The elder Duke just couldn't bring himself to let Bo go anywhere alone just yet. Not after what had happened last time.

"Dang it, Luke I feel like a little kid!" Bo sulked in the passenger seat. "First Uncle Jesse calls Doc Appleby ahead to tell him I'm coming, then you get in the drivers seat to take me there! It's like ya'll don't trust me to go!"

"It ain't that, Bo. It's just that...well...last week affected all of us. We can't help wanting to know where you are and that you're alright. It's gonna take some time for all of us to get over the whole thing."

"Yeah well…….." Bo trailed off as he looked out the window. "Do you think you can at least let me walk into his office by myself?"

Luke laughed. "Well I think I might be able to manage that. I'll go over and see Cooter, let him have a look at the cam shaft and see if he can't get the General runnin' a little smoother."

"Thank you." Bo replied with a smirk as the boys pulled up to Cooter's garage. They climbed out and started walking- Luke headed for the garage and Bo headed for the doctor's office that was located in one of the rooms at the hotel.

"I'll be waitin' for ya!" Luke assured him.

"I'm sure you will." Bo shot back as he jogged across the square.

Moments later, Bo was taking the steps two at a time as he ascended the hotel staircase to the third floor where the doctor's office was. Once he got there, he opened the door and went in to find Doc Appleby in a conversation with an unknown man.

"……..overall decent health. 'Course the weight is concerning, but that's why you're here." Doc Appleby trailed off as he saw Bo enter. "Ah Bo! Come in. Your Uncle Jesse told me I should be expecting you."

"Mornin' Doc Appleby." Bo replied, offering the stranger a nod.

Doc Appleby turned to his companion. "Sorry for the interruption, Tom, but I always make time for my most important patients." He slapped Bo on the back. "Bo, this is Dr. Tom Dewberry from Atlanta. He's a hypnotist- here to help Boss Hogg with his diet."

"Well, a doctor of psychology, specializing in hypnotism." Dr. Dewberry replied, shaking Bo's hand.

"Help Boss Hogg with his diet? Heck, if you can do that, mister, I wouldn't call you a hypnotist, I'd call you a miracle worker!" Bo announced, bringing laughter to the room.

After the laughter died down, Homer Appleby turned back to Dr. Dewberry. "This shouldn't take too long, Tom. You're welcome to wait if you would like."

"Thank you. I think I will." Tom replied, settling onto the couch.

Moments later, Bo and Doc Appleby were in the small examining area, which was separated from the rest of the hotel room only by several oversized hospital curtains.

"So Bo, your Uncle Jesse tells me you had an asthma attack last night. It's been quite a few years since that's happened, hasn't it?"

"Uh yes sir." Bo replied as Doc Appleby listened to his chest with a stethoscope. "It was probably just a one time thing, but we thought we better have a new inhaler on hand, just in case."

"I think that's an excellent idea." Doc Appleby replied, taking the stethoscope off his ears and putting it around his neck. "Of course, you want to avoid things that could trigger an asthma attack, prevent it from happening in the first place. Do you know what set it off?"

"Well…." Bo trailed off, looking at Doc Appleby. He then sighed. "I guess I could think up a real good lie to tell ya, but I imagine Uncle Jesse's already told you what happened."

Doc Appleby patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It's nothing to get excited over, Bo. After what you went through, nightmares are to be expected. As a matter of fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't have them."

"Well that don't make it any better, Doc. How long you think they're gonna last?"

"It's hard to say. It's not unheard of that you could have these dreams from time to time throughout the rest of your life."

"The rest of my life!" Bo exclaimed.

Doc Appleby frowned. "Well not every night, Bo. Even if you do, they'll continue to let up in frequency."

Bo was disheartened. He looked at Doc Appleby. "Well I suppose that's somethin' I'll have to live with, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't say nothin' to the family. I mean, if you could see the look on their faces last night……" Bo trailed off.

Doc Appleby smiled and nodded. "I understand. But if you need anything, and I mean anything, you give me a call. Day or night. Understand?"

After Bo had nodded, Doc Appleby commenced to write a prescription for an inhaler out on his pad, tearing off the top copy and handing it to Bo. He then pushed the curtain back and headed out into the room.

"Thanks again, Doc." Bo smiled as he walked out the room, offering another nod to Dr. Dewberry before he closed the door.

"Now, where were we?" Doc Appleby asked, sitting next to Dr. Dewberry.

"Homer, if you don't mind my asking, what's going on with that young man?"

"Now Tom, you know the oaths we take. I can't tell you."

"Well I think even you know those curtains there don't exactly workas soundproof barriers." Dr. Dewberry pointed out.

Doc Appleby looked at the examining area and sighed. "Well all I can really tell you, on top of what you heard, is that he went through an emotionally traumatic time last week. It'll take him some time to get over it on his own, but I know Bo Duke real good. He'll come out just fine."

"Oh I'm sure he will." Dr. Dewberry replied. "Well, I had a chance to go over my paperwork during that examination, and that's all the information I needed on…" He flipped through his papers to look for the name. "…….Mr. Hogg. Thank you, Homer." He ended by standing and shaking the doctor's hand before he headed out the door.

Once he got outside, he put his things in his car. He then went over to a nearby pay phone. Depositing some change inside, he dialed.

"Yes, Amanda. Get me Dr. Foster……….Hey George. Tom here. You know that little experiment we've been wanting to conduct?" He trailed off as he looked across the square to the garage where Bo and Luke were ducked under the hood of the General along with Cooter.

"I just found the perfect volunteer."

**_I don't know about ya'll, but somethin' tells me that experiment ain't gonna be about comparing' the taste of no sody pops._**


	5. Chapter 5

Tom Dewberry ended his conversation with Dr. Foster and hung up the phone. He then began walking across the square toward Bo. He had only taken a few steps when the boys pushed the hood down and jumped into the windows of the General.

"Keep it 'tween the ditches ya'll, ain't got no new parts shipment in over two weeks!" Cooter yelled toward them as they peeled out of town.

Dr. Dewberry ran back to his car and got in. Throwing it in drive, he took off after the departing General Lee, intent on finding out where Bo lived.

After several minutes at speeds that could make even the bravest nascar driver a bit edgy, he spotted the General ahead, traveling at only a slightly slower speed.

"That Cooter sure knows what he's doin'." Luke announced, jerking the wheel to the left, the General throwing some dirt in the air as it spun. "That camshaft adjustment did the trick."

He then increased his speed once more as he took off down the new road. Looking in the rearview mirror, he spied Dr. Dewberry's car.

"Wonder who the heck that is?" Luke asked.

Bo turned around from the passenger seat to look back. He then shrugged his shoulders. "Car doesn't look familiar. You reckon he's after us?"

"There's only one way to find out." Luke replied.

Luke veered to the right, taking the next road. He barreled forward in a burst of speed. Looking into his rearview mirror. He saw the car struggling to keep up.

"Yep. He's following us." Bo nodded.

"Well let's see if he can follow this." Luke announced, switching the gears on the General as a ramp over the Conasauga River loomed ahead.

The General hit the ramp, sailing over the river in one smooth gesture, the sun glistening off the windows.

Landing on the other side, Luke drove on a few feet before skidding to a halt. He and Bo then sat up on the door frames and watched as whoever was chasing them slammed on their brakes just short of the ramp.

Seeing that the boys had their eye on him, Dr. Dewberry ducked down in his seat, threw his car in reverse, and left, hoping that the younger Duke had not recognized him. His plan had only been to find out where Bo lived so he could talk to him later. He needed to gain the boy's trust, and that would not work if Bo were leery of him.

XXXXXX

_**After the boys had doubled back to town to let Cooter know the camshaft was in good shape and to pick up Bo's prescription, they arrived back at the farm and found Uncle Jesse on the phone.**_

"J.D., I'm tellin' ya, you're just gonna hafta deal with it for today. The boys have been gone all mornin' and we're two days behind on takin' care of the crops as it is."

As Bo and Luke looked at Jesse quizzically, he continued. "If that's all ya got to worry about ya old buzzard, yer……" Uncle Jesse stopped and snarled, handing the phone to Bo. "He wants to talk to you."

"What about?" Bo asked, taking the phone.

"About how he don't care if he gits his mortgage payment on time this month. 'Cause that's how it's gonna turn out unless we git in that field today!"

Bo frowned in confusion as he spoke into the phone. "Hello?"

"Bo this is J.D. Hogg. I just got over here to the Boar's Nest for the first time in two days and you know what I saw?"

"Uh, there ain't no tellin', Boss."

"The paintin' skills of a kindergartner! I ain't never seen such sloppy trim work in all my life. I bet you if we'd took that fleabag Flash and dipped her tail in paint and let her wag it against the wall, it'd turned out better that this mess."

"Well I'm real sorry about that Boss but if you got a problem with the trim, then you need to talk to Suzanne, 'cause she's the one who took care of that." Bo replied, receiving a hard stare from Luke as his girlfriend's name was mentioned.

"Did I say trim? I meant wall. The one you painted."

"How do you know I's the one who painted it?"

"Well which one did you paint?" Boss asked.

"The one in the back, behind the pool table." Bo replied.

"See? There ya go. It was the one you painted. Now I got important people comin' in tomorrow and I gotta have this office lookin' good. So you high tail it over here and fix that wall or else!"

"Or else what?" Bo had to ask.

"Or else I'll arrest that cousin of yours! If it hadn't a been for my generosity last week, he'd a been sittin' in the state pen even as we speak. Now you don't want me changin' my mind, do ya?"

Bo sighed. "I'll be there in a few minutes." He replied before hanging up the phone.

"Good job, Hogg." Dr. Dewberry announced, standing next to the commissioner. He pulled out his wallet and put two hundred dollars in Boss's hand. As agreed, here's a refund on those sessions you and your wife had this afternoon. And…." He pulled out another bill. "…..another hundred to see that we're left alone."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well, the old Boss is back." Bo announced back at the farm. Unless I go over there and fix what he considers a botched paint job, he's threatened to have Luke here put in jail."

"Ah, I knew that'd all come back on me just as soon as it's convenient." Luke sighed. "I'll run over there and help you with it."

"Now just hold it, Luke." Jesse began as the boys ran for the door. "It's bad enough that J.D.'s snookerin' Bo away from the farm today, but we still got a lotta work to do around here. Bo can handle things by himself."

Luke looked from Bo to Jesse. "But Uncle Jesse…." He trailed off.

Jesse shook his head. "I know it's kinda scary sendin' him off by himself again. But ya gotta remember, he's a grown man and them troublemakers are in jail where they belong. Now, we gotta lot of work comin' up in the next couple of months and we won't have time for any babysittin'. Now's as good a time to get used to the idea as any."

Even though he was going to paint, Bo smiled the smile of freedom. "Thank you, Uncle Jesse!"

"Um, Bo?" Jesse asked, holding up his finger. "Ya got yer inhaler?"

"Yes sir!" Bo replied, picking the bag back up that he had just set on the table.

"And the CB in the General stays on?"

"Yes sir." Bo nodded.

"Well, there's just one more thing then." Jesse added.

"What's that?"

"Hurry up 'n get back!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that night, around three, Bo got up from his bed. Taking his blanket, he tiptoed out of the room away from Luke.

Eventually he made his way outside where he walked to the barn. Once there, he opened the door and went inside, ascending the ladder to the hay loft.

It'd taken a long time for Luke to fall asleep. As tired as Bo had been, he'd simply laid in the bed with his eyes closed, waiting for his cousin to stop hovering over him expecting something to happen. How he hated to think of his family worrying about him like that.

Which is why he found some hope in his conversation with Dr. Dewberry at the Boar's Nest. When the doctor offered him a guaranteed way to end the dreams, Bo figured only fate could have put him there at that exact moment, having just finished with Boss as far as he knew. Still, while the idea of being rid of the dreams was tempting, he knew Uncle Jesse frowned on things such as that, and he decided to sleep on it a couple of nights.

Those are the thoughts that was running through his mind when he finally drifted off to sleep there in the hayloft, far from where the family could hear him if another dream came.

And came it did. Bo lay on the blanket, thrashing around as he rolled slightly in the hayloft. As he continued to roll and thrash, he eventually rolled right over the side!

_**Ya know, It'd take a Duke to figure out how to hurt yourself while sleepin'.**_


	6. Chapter 6

As Bo felt around inside the coffin, he was horrified to feel the ground beneath it give way.

He fell fell fell, landing in a hay bale.

A hay bale?

It sure seemed real when he opened his eyes. As least it felt real with the jagged bits of dried grass poking him here and there, very evident even through his clothing.

It didn't take long for Bo to realize where he was or how he got there, and when he did, he whispered a prayer of thanks. For it just so happened that Jesse had wanted his feed stored up against the wall of the barn, the wall where the hay had been stored all winter. In order to satisfy their uncle, they had moved the hay to the middle of the floor, intent on storing it in the loft later. Had it not been where it was, stacked eight bales high and slightly more wide, Bo would have been, at the very least, seriously injured.

As he sat on top of the bales, a grin of relief appearing on his face, he suddenly felt his body give way again as the bales decided to shift, swallowing him up in the middle as the ones on the ends fell away in all directions. As they took a tumble, some rolled out toward Maudine, startling the old mule which set her off to braying again.

Inside the house, Luke sat up in bed as Maudine began to bray. "Dang that dog!" He muttered, reaching out of habit to turn on the lamp that was no longer there. Heaving a sigh, he tore his sheet off and hit the floor running, hoping to quiet the ruckus before it woke the rest of the family, especially Bo, who was lucky to get any comforting rest these days.

"Buster!" Luke yelled toward the barn as he ran, his mood not quiet as lighthearted as the night before considering the amount of sleep he had lost.

Reaching up for the string that dangled from the bulb once again, Luke was surprised when, instead of getting light in the room, he got the string in the palm of his hand. What a time for that to break.

Despite the fact that he could not see, it took Luke only a moment to realize that the dog was not in the barn but that someone definitely was, and that someone was kicking around in the hay.

'The prowler!' Luke thought, seeing a human form emerging from the hay. In one swift movement, Luke ran and knocked the person down, delivering him a couple of well placed punches despite the darkened conditions.

"Luke!" Daisy exclaimed, standing in the doorway of the barn holding a flashlight while Jesse ran past Maudine to the rear door where a switch was located. Flicking on the light, he turned to observe his nephew, rifle ready.

"Bo." Luke said barely above a whisper, quickly climbing off of his cousin, who released his fists and laid there, touching a finger to the blood that was trickling from his lip.

Luke reached down and put a hand under Bo's elbow, assisting him to his feet. "Gosh Bo, I'm…..I'm sorry. I thought it was thief that's been hittin' our neighbors. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bo replied in a rather short tone of voice brought on by exhaustion and frustration over not being able to sleep decently.

Daisy opened her mouth to ask why he had been out there, but Jesse put his hand on her arm to stop her, noticing the blanket that draped over the edge of the hayloft.

"Well now." Uncle Jesse began, clearing his throat. "Since everything seems ta be alright, let's go back in the house and get some sleep." With that, he put an arm around Bo's shoulders and steered him toward the house while Luke and Daisy followed.

Once inside, he led Bo to the bathroom where he wet a washcloth for his lip. "Uh, here Bo. This oughta fix ya up." He announced as Bo took the cloth. Jesse then turned to the top drawer that was slightly opened and slipped his hand inside and out before closing it. "You stay in here and hold that on your cut a few minutes. I'll be right back."

After Bo had cleaned the wound as best he could, he threw the cloth into the hamper and went to his bed. Luke and Daisy were both in there, Luke simply looking at him with a pitiful expression from his bed while Daisy commenced to rubbing the side of Bo's head after he sat on his own bed.

"Here's a little something to help lull us all back to sleep." Jesse announced, entering the room a few moments later with a tray of four glasses, each containing enough shine for about two swallows each.

He set the tray on the table where the lamp used to be and grabbed a glass, handing it to Bo. "There ya are, Bo. You kids help yourselves." He said to Luke and Daisy, who each picked up a glass while Jesse helped himself to the fourth.

Bo knew that this was all for him, but he didn't say anything. He simple took the glass that Jesse had given him and downed the drink in one shot. "Uh!" Bo groaned, making a terrible face. "I hate to say it Jesse, but I think it's goin' bad."

"Hmmm, wasn't anything the matter with….."

"Yer right, Bo. Terrible. Just terrible." Jesse replied, interrupting Luke. He then took the glasses and set them on the tray again as he prepared to take them back to the kitchen. "But, maybe they'll still do the trick." He added on his way out the door.

"You need anything else, honey?" Daisy asked Bo as she continued to rub the side of his head.

"The best thing you could do for me is go back to bed, see if you can salvage what's left of the night." Bo replied, yawning. "I'm gonna see if I can do the same." He added, snuggling under his sheet.

To their amazement, Bo was asleep in moments. Daisy tiptoed back to her room, and Luke took the time to throw and extra blanket over his cousin before climbing back in bed himself. Pausing at their room on his way back to bed, Jesse noted the peaceful look on Bo's face, and finally felt comfortable enough to deposit a small, empty envelope in the trash. An envelope marked with the words 'Sleeping Powders'.

XXXXXXXXXX

Bo woke the next morning to sunlight streaming through his bedroom window. He looked over at Luke's bed and noticed that not only was his cousin missing, but that the bed was already made. Considering that was a chore usually left until after breakfast, Bo glanced at the clock and was surprised to see that it was nearly noon.

He got up and quickly dressed, taking the time to make the bed before he exited the room. He was sure Jesse and Luke were out in the field, Luke complaining that he was not there to help them. But for the first time in days, Bo felt completely rested and full of the energy that would be needed for him to do twice the work in half the time.

With everything done, he went to open the door. As soon as it was cracked, he heard voices. Surprised that anyone was still home at this time during the week, he listened.

"……….just don't know how to help him. I hate to see him that way. Gits me right here."

"Uncle Jesse, it hurts me too. But this is gonna let up in time. Today's a good example. Here it is noon and he's still snoozin' away without a problem. That'll put him at 9 hours of sleep, more than he's had ever since we got him back home."

"Well, that's only 'cause I slipped some of them sleepin' powders in his shine last night that I got from the hospital when I's there with appendicitis."

"Ah." Luke replied. "Well that explains why he's complainin' about it."

Bo opened his mouth in shock as Jesse continued. "But I don't like to be sneaky like that. I think Bo'd be a lot better off if he would just talk to somebody about the whole thing, I mean really talk to someone, not just offer those little abbreviated details. Somebody who could understand what he went through."

"Now who could he talk to that would understand that, Jesse?"

"I don't know. Can't think of anybody around here, not even the preacher. Bad as I hate to think of it….." Jesse paused.

"Think of what?"

"Well, I thought it might help him if we sent him off somewhere."

"You mean like a hospital?" Luke asked flabbergasted.

"I don't know, maybe…." Jesse trailed off. "Now yer lookin' at me like I've lost my mind."

"No Jesse. I'm lookin' at you 'cause you've just said something I've been thinking on the last few days, only I didn't imagine you'd ever go for it."

Jesse sighed. "I'm not much for them places, but if they can be successful in helpin' the boy git his head set straight, then I'll give up the farm to make that happen." He paused for a moment. "We'll give Bo two more nights. If he don't improve none, then we'll start makin' some phone calls."

"Agreed." Luke replied.

**_I reckon it don't take no genius to figure Doc Dewberry's gonna have himself a visitor this afternoon._**


	7. Chapter 7

"I'm gonna go and see if he's up yet." Luke announced.

"Now just hang on." Jesse replied. "Let 'im be. I ain't gonna give him that stuff no more and if things keep up the way they have, then it's best to let him rest while he can."

Luke reluctantly nodded as Jesse continued. "We can handle things by ourselves for today. Now let's go in their 'n git them sandwiches so's we can git back to work."

Bo continued to stand by the door while Luke and Jesse banged around in the kitchen, waiting to see what else they would say. However there was no more talk concerning Bo, with the subject turning to things such as the work on the farm and the barbeque at the McGill farm that weekend. After a little while, Bo could hear the sound of dishes hitting the sink before the men trudged to the door, closing it behind them. After that, all was quiet.

After another moment, Bo felt comfortable enough to open the door and rush to Jesse's bedroom, where the window there offered a view of some of the back forty, at least the parts that weren't hidden by the rolling hills. Watching as Luke and Jesse disappeared over the first hill, Bo turned and made his way to the living room.

Once he got there, he picked up the phone. "Mabel, can you get Boss Hogg for me?"

Moments later, J.D. Hogg picked up the phone from inside the Boar's Nest. "This is J.D. Hogg speakin'."

"Uh, hey Boss. This is Bo. Bo Duke."

"Oh Bo!" Boss exclaimed, the smile on his face evident in his voice. "It sure is good to hear from you. There somethin' I can help you with?"

Bo frowned suspiciously. Boss was never 'glad' to hear from him. "Well actually, I's hopin' you could tell me where I might find Doc Dewberry."

"Oh, Doc Dewberry!" Boss smiled. "Why of course. He's stayin' at my fishin' cabin over on Carter's Lake. Just for a couple days, mind you, while Lulu finishes up her sessions."

"That's great, Boss. Thanks alot for the tip."

"Not a problem!" Boss sang out as he started to hang up.

"Oh and Boss?"

"Yes?"

"If it should come up, don't tell Jesse I's askin'. Alright?"

"Agreed!" Boss sang out again as he hung up.

Bo hung up his phone and looked at it quizzically. He then shrugged his shoulders and got up. He scribbled a quick note before going outside, where he hopped in the General and took off.

**_Don't be surprised that Bo didn't take Boss's cheery greeting in stride. Gettin' a big, pleasant howdy-do from him's 'bout the same as gittin' one from the draft board._**

Boss laughed a greedy laugh as he picked up the phone again. "Mabel, ring my cabin over at the lake. Hello…..Doc Dewberry? J.D. Hogg. This call's just to let you know that the chicken has flown the coop."

"I owe ya another one, Hogg." Dr. Dewberry confirmed before hanging up. He then opted to dial the phone rather than going through the Hazzard operator.

"Amanda………Get me Dr. Foster……………..George, It's all set. Meet me here in Hazzard just as fast as you can…….You might want to get a piece of paper. The directions are kind of complicated."

XXXXXXXXXXX

It was almost two hours later before Dr. Foster showed up at the cabin. While they had been waiting, Dr. Dewberry had accompanied Bo on a walk around the lake where he tried to extract as many details on his experience as possible, as well as Bo's true feelings on the whole thing. By the time the chat was complete, Dr. Dewberry had accomplished his primary goal, which was to gain Bo's complete trust.

"Hello Bo." Dr. Foster greeted him after Dr. Dewberry had introduced them. "I'm Dr. George Foster. Tom and I work together in Atlanta."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Dr. Foster." Bo replied, shaking his hand. "I hafta say I'm a might surprised to see you though. I thought Dr. Dewberry would be taking care of me."

"Oh he will be, Bo, along with me. You see, you're kind of a special case, and we thought you would benefit more from our combined effort to get you well- I mean, over your dreams."

"Yes, my dreams." Bo replied in a short tone, not comfortable at all with the idea of him being labeled as 'not well', especially after the talk he had overheard between Jesse and Luke that morning.

Well, let's go inside, shall we? When we get there, we'll go over any questions you have then we will begin the procedure.

Now that the time was at hand, Bo was a little nervous. He remembered an incident in the family before, when Luke had been hypmotized to get rid of the General Lee. Of course, that hypmotist was a crook hired by Boss Hogg for one of his nasty schemes. This time however, the doctor seemed legitimate, having an ad in the Atlanta paper and being used by Boss and Lulu as well. And if Ms Lulu was comfortable in his care, then, Bo told himself, the doctor had to be trustworthy.

Soon, the trio had settled into the cabin.

"Okay Bo, if you have any questions to ask, now is the time to ask them." Dr. Dewberry announced, patting him on the shoulder.

"Well, I guess I just have one." Bo replied.

"What's that, young man?" Dr. Foster asked.

"Just a curiosity question, really. Why is it two big city doctors is willing to team up and go out of your way to help a poor country boy like me for free?"

Dr. Dewberry and Dr. Foster looked at one another for a few moments before Dr. Foster cleared his throat and spoke. "Because we're not only doctors, we're researchers. You see, we're in the process of writing a college textbook in which we hope to offer…..examples of real case studies and the outcomes. You, Mr. Duke, are a very unique individual. We would be very hard pressed to find anyone else who has gone through anything like you've experienced. With that in mind, we'll gladly offer free services, with the understanding on your part that the whole matter will eventually end up in a textbook. Be assured though…." He added. "…..you're name will not be used."

"So in a nutshell, you're helping me for free in exchange for the right to publish the results."

"Exactly." Dr. Dewberry nodded.

Bo thought a minute, then shrugged his shoulders. "Well, that's the only question I could think of."

Dr. Dewberry then pulled out an ink pen. "Then let's begin, shall we?"

Dr. Dewberry waved the pen back and forth in front of Bo's eyes, commanding him to relax. Had Bo not been immediately taken in by it, he would have laughed. 'You're getting veeeeeery sleepy.' He thought momentarily, remembering all those sci-fi flicks he enjoyed as a child. Not long after that, he was in a state of semi-conciousness.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Bo! Bo wake up!"

That was what Bo heard through his haze. 'Leave me alone Luke, I'm sick.' He wanted to say, but his brain failed to make his mouth say the words.

"George, get over here, I think he's waking up!" He heard someone say.

Bo listened as the footsteps drew closer. "Thank goodness. He's been out for a good eight hours."

Bo tried to open his eyes, and it took a great deal of effort to accomplish the slits he finally managed. Even so, his vision was so blurry that he simply closed them again.

"C'mon Bo, ya gotta wake up." One of them said. "His family will start looking for him soon if they haven't already." He whispered to the other.

Bo suddenly felt a wave of sickness come over him.

"Tom, get that trash can over there!" Dr. Foster exclaimed.

Bo didn't know how he found the energy to do so, but by the time the footsteps rushed across the room toward him again, he was sitting up in bed, expelling the little food he had in his stomach.

"There ya go, Bo. You alright now?" Dr. Dewberry asked.

"I'm….I'm…" was all Bo managed before he slipped into unconciousness again.

**_Ya'll know where Antartica is? It's way way south. Almost as south as that experiment seems to have gone----whatever it was._**


	8. Chapter 8

"Uncle Jesse, how much longer are we gonna sit here?" Luke asked, annoyance over fatigue and famish apparent in his voice.

"Now just hang on, Luke. It ain't but a little past seven. He could come rolling in any time." Jesse replied from his seat at the kitchen table where Luke and Daisy sat on either side of him, waiting for Bo to show up.

"Well, maybe we should go ahead and eat. You know how Bo gets when he goes fishing, he loses track of the time." Daisy suggested. "Besides, we've been sittin' here for half an hour. The food's gonna get cold altogether if we wait any longer."

"Then let it git cold. I'd rather eat it that way than have Bo eatin' all by himself when he gits back."

Luke paused for a moment before suggesting. "Jesse if you would just let me go out and look for him……"

"No!" Jesse commanded. "He'll come home when he's ready."

Luke simply looked at Daisy, who returned his solemn expression. Jesse noticed the look on their faces.

"Alright. I know it's still hard to think of 'em off by himself, but the boy left a note. He's fishin'."

"Uncle Jesse, I'm worried about Bo's dreams too, but don't you think you're taking it a little far? I mean, you never would have allowed Bo to chunk a day of chores to go fishing before, let alone keep the family waiting to eat until he got back. Not without a good lecture anyway." Daisy pointed out.

"I know, but he ain't never had to deal with what he's goin' through before either. None of us have. Now I ain't sayin' I'm respondin' to the situation right, but my main objective is to let him to know I support him and I'm there for him whatever it is he needs to do. And I know there ain't many things that'll relax ya and get ya mind off yer troubles like an afternoon at the lake. I'm just thinkin' that if he gits to enjoy himself a little, maybe that'll help him git back to normal."

Luke nodded his head. "Well, can't argue with that." He sighed, listening to his stomach rumble as he surveyed the food on the table.

After the trio had sat there thirty more minutes, Jesse reluctantly tried Bo on the CB. When he didn't get a response, the trio began to feel a since of dread. Jesse dismissed it however, insisting that Bo was out on the lake away from the General and concluding that fresh memories were simply emerging. In an effort to make them feel better, Jesse relented, allowing them to eat before Bo showed up.

At the conclusion of the meal, another thirty minutes had passed. Luke helped Daisy wash the dishes while Jesse went into the living room to try the newspaper again, the one that he had thrown aside when Boss and Rosco had charged into the house.

After the kitchen work was done, Daisy and Luke came into the living room. Daisy picked up some of the needlework she did from time to time while Luke sat next to her and propped his right ankle on his left knee, tapping out a tune on his leg with his hands.

And that was all that could be heard in the living room, except for the mantle clock that gave a subtle tick tock with each passing second, Luke tapping softly while Jesse rattled the paper from time to time. Each of them unconsciously strained to hear the distant sound of a car approaching.

After another 15 minutes, when Jesse realized he had never gotten off page two and couldn't recall the contents of page one, he finally threw the paper down, the sudden sound startling the occupants of the couch.

"Alright." Jesse replied, pointing at Luke. "You git out there 'n look for him. But…" he added. "Don't make it obvious that's what you's doin'. He's a grown man and he's got the right to time fer himself without bein' scolded like a puppy."

"Okay." Luke replied, jumping up. "I'll grab my fishing gear too, make it look like I'd been out myself."

"I guess it'll work, even though it's got so dark out there you'd hafta have bat eyes to fish at this point."

Luke nodded and ran for the door. He rushed out to the shed behind the barn where the family normally stored their fishing gear. He grabbed his pole and his tackle box and threw them into Jesses truck before taking off into the night.

"This is lost sheep callin' Crazy C. C, you out there?"

"Crazy C, that'd be me, and real good lookin', you'd have to agree. What's on your mind, marquis?

"Hey Cooter. I's just wonderin' if Bo might've been around today." Luke asked, having turned the channel to 47 where Cooter could usually be reached.

"That'd be a negatory Lukas. Don't tell me the lost sheep is lost again, come back." Cooter replied from his tow truck where he was driving home after a long day at the garage.

"'Fraid so. He left a note at the house sayin' he went fishin'. It's a might dark to still be out doin' that, though."

"The old fishin' story, huh?" Cooter chuckled. "You got any idea's I'll be glad to see if I can sniff out a trail for ya."

"Well, seein' how Lilly claims she don't know where he is, I thought I'd go ahead and check out the better fishin' spots anyway since that's where he said he's goin'."

"That's a ten-four. I'll check the east end, you the west. Report in 30."

"Thanks C. Over and out."

Both guys went to their respected checkpoints. Luke checked Dixon Pond, Catfish Marsh, and several spots along the Conasauga River that were know as good fishing hideaways. Cooter was left to check Mountain Lake, Possum Falls, and finally, Carter's Lake.

Cooter was circling the lake and came into the vicinity of Boss Hogg's fishing cabin when a familiar sound met his ears. Although he couldn't make out the car coming toward him in the dark, the unmistakable sound of a Charger engine left little doubt as to who it was.

"Lukas, Crazy C comin' at ya. The little lost sheep has been found, give 'em a holler, he's in the General Lee."

Luke smiled. "That's great Cooter! Thanks a lot."

As Cooter turned at a wide spot in the road to follow the General, Luke turned back to the Duke's usual channel, channel 36. "Lost sheep one callin' lost sheep two, come in."

Luke waited, not receiving an answer. He tried again with the same result. After several moments of not getting a response, he turned back over to Cooter. "Cooter, I can't get 'em to answer. He look like he's headed home?"

"Well right now we're at Carter's Lake, and the only way to go is one way- out."

"Maybe he's got the CB off. See if you can go up behind him and git his attention."

"Will do." Cooter replied, speeding up until he was behind the General. When he got there, he laid down on the horn, partly to get Bo's attention, partly just because he was Cooter and he thought it'd be funny.

In response, the General speeded up. Cooter laughed. Ole' Bo'd use any excuse to challenge someone to a cross country race.

Cooter would play along. He increased his speed as well, doing a pretty good job of keeping on the General's tail despite the fact that he was in his tow truck.

Suddenly, the General shot forward in an extra bust of speed. "Bo, yer crazier than a rabid squirrel." Cooter laughed, knowing that the single lane dirt road was hard to handle in the best of circumstances. Still he struggled to keep up.

After the General had succeeded in gaining some distance, it arrived at the parking area off the side of the road, which was more or less just a dirt area cut into the woods at which one car could pull over, allowing another to pass or where someone could park and take a shortcut through the woods to fish at the Coosawattee River, which fed Carter's Lake.

Cooter was a little surprised to see the brake lights, figurin' Bo was abandoning the race. He was even more surprised moments later, however, when instead of simply stopping, the area was used to perform a one-eighty, bringing the General back on the one lane road where it faced Cooter, who slammed on the brakes.

"Ah, an old fashioned game of chicken, huh?" Cooter laughed, putting the tow truck in neutral, revving the gas. He leaned out the window and could hear the same from the General, although it was some distance away. Slowly, the General inched forward, the Dixie horn blasting out a warning.

"You really think that's gonna work with me, buddyro?" Cooter laughed. He inched forward as well.

Suddenly, the General shot toward him. Cooter's good natured smile gave way to concern.

"Uh, Bo, don't do that." Cooter muttered, seeing that he clearly had no way to go.

With no sign that the General was going to slow, Cooter threw the tow truck in reverse and backed up quickly.

"Okay buddy, I give!" Cooter shouted out the window as he strained to see behind him as best as he could.

With the curve known as Moccasin Bend coming up fast, Cooter turned for a brief second to observe the location of the General. To say he was surprised to witness one of his best friends deliberately bumping the tow truck in such harrowing conditions was a definite understatement.

But surprise gave way to horror what he felt when the General nudged him again, sending the tow truck plummeting down the embankment at Moccasin Bend!

_**Now in case ya'll were wonderin' what that's all about... so am I.**_


	9. Chapter 9

"Where have you been, George?" Tom Dewberry asked the next morning when the elderly doctor finally walked through the cabin door after being absent all night.

"Walking." George Foster replied in a somewhat breathy tone. "I'm absolutely worn out."

"Did you get the car hidden away?"

"Yeah, but not in the place we had planned. I ran into this mechanic in a tow truck who apparently recognized the car and I had to shake him."

Tom frowned with worry. "He followed you?"

"He did at first, but I finally managed to run him off the road." He replied, collapsing in a chair. "The main thing is that the car is hidden, and fairly well, I'm certain."

Dr. Dewberry nodded, but then added. "That's good, but don't you think you took it a little far, I mean, running the mechanic off the road?"

"I didn't have a choice. Nobody can find Bo, not yet. Do you realize how fast we would end up under the jail if anybody found out what was going on here?" George muttered. "Speaking of Bo, how is he this morning?"

"He's resting. The night got better as it went along. I expect he'll be well by the time he wakes up."

"That's good." George nodded. "It got kinda scary there for a while, didn't it?"

Tom agreed. "So what's the next course of action? Send him home and have him come back tonight?"

"No. Considering last night, I don't think we should send him home. But if we're going to keep him here we need a convincing story to give to him and especially to his family. Otherwise, they'll be combing the whole county until they find him. And that would mean big trouble for us."

As the pair brainstormed, they were interrupted when Bo emerged from the room where he had slept. He looked around in confusion, finally laying eyes on Dr. Dewberry.

Bo held his head. "What time is it?"

"It's just past eight in the morning. How do you feel?"

Bo ignored the doctor's question when he heard the time. "Eight a.m.? I've….I've got to get home, my family must be going crazy." He announced knowing how Luke and Jesse had been hovering over him lately.

"Now hang on Bo." Dr. Dewberry instructed, jumping up from his seat and placing his hand on Bo's shoulder. "You're not in any condition to go home. Do you remember anything that happened here last night?"

Bo paused a minute as he thought. "Not much, other than feelin' like I's real sick there for awhile."

"The reason you were sick Bo is because you got hit in the head." Dr. Dewberry said, thinking quickly. "While we had you hypnotized, a man broke in here and stole several things at gunpoint, the keys to your car included."

"You mean the General's gone!" Bo exclaimed, rushing over to look out the window. Not seeing his car, he wandered around the cabin a few seconds as if he didn't know what to do next. "I've got to go tell Luke." He finally decided, heading for the door.

"Don't worry." Dr. Dewberry stopped him again. "We've already called your family and the police. There's only one thing we need to worry about right now, and that's making sure you're alright."

Bo stopped worrying about the General long enough to think about how he felt. "I do have a slight headache, but other than that, I feel okay."

Dr. Dewberry nodded. "You're probably still feeling the effects of the head injury. I do have some pain relievers if you think that would help."

"Bo shook his head." I never was much for taking medicine, not unless a stroll in the fresh air or a sip of my Uncle Jesse's shine failed to do the trick."

Dr. Dewberry chuckled. "Well I don't know about getting my hands on any shine, but there's plenty of fresh air outside. Why don't you take a walk down by the lake? Dr. Foster and I have to make a phone call anyway. When you get back, we'll see about taking you home."

"Okay." Bo nodded, opening the door.

"Hang on." Dr. Dewberry suddenly announced, taking a cowboy hat and jacket from the coat rack that was near the door. "Put these on. It's a bit windy today and with that head injury, it won't do you good to get sick."

Bo took the hat and coat and put them on without question before he trailed off toward the lake. Although the cabin was isolated from the dirt road, it could still be seen from there. Dr. Dewberry felt the disguise would thwart anyone who might be circling the lake in search of Bo.

"Okay. Get the phone book and find the number for the Duke farm." Dr. Dewberry said, pointing to a drawer in the desk where the telephone sat. "You're going to talk to them."

"And what am I going to say?" Dr. Foster asked.

XXXXX

Moments later, the telephone rang at the Duke farm. Uncle Jesse and Luke jumped up from the table where Daisy sat holding an ice pack to the back of Cooter's head. It was Jesse who won the race to the phone.

"Bo? Bo, is that you?" Jesse asked into the phone.

"Duke? Is this the Duke place?" A raspy old voice asked.

"Yeah, you got Jesse Duke on the line here." Jesse replied.

"Jesse, this is Seymour Krandall from over in Chickasaw County. Are you Bo's father?"

"No, I'm his uncle. Why, you know where he is?" Jesse asked anxiously, having heard the whole story of the previous night's events after Luke had found Cooter off the side of the road, uninjured except for a nasty bump to the back of his head.

"I sure do. He's right here with me. Seems some ole' coot done stole his car last night and left him for dead. Lucky for him he wandered up on my property. I live pretty far off the road here and there ain't nobody around me."

"Well how is he?" Jesse asked as Luke frowned in confusion, straining to hear the conversation.

"Oh he'll be alright, I think. They done clobbered him on the head but ain't nothin' a little rest and a bit of shine won't help." Dr. Foster continued, remembering what Bo had said earlier.

That statement certainly found favor with Jesse. He covered the receiver with his hand as he turned to Luke. "Bo's over in Chickasaw. Somebody stole the General and hit him on the head. He's bein' taken care of by a local."

"He alright?" Luke asked with concern.

"From the sound of it." Jesse replied.

Luke sighed in relief, upset that the General had been stolen but happy to know it wasn't Bo who had put Cooter in that ditch. "I betcha he snuck across the county line to fish at Deer Creek Falls. He's been dying to go ever since Brent McCamey bragged about the eight pound trout he pulled outta there."

Jesse didn't comment, but instead went back to the phone as Cooter and Daisy joined them. "Just tell us where ya are, Mr. Kendall and we'll come over 'n pick him up."

"Oh that won't be necessary Mr. Duke. Soon as the boy's up to it, I'll drive him on over to your place. I gotta pick up some supplies from the hardware store there in Hazzard anyway."

"Well that's mighty nice of ya, Mr. Kendall, but we don't wanna put you to no trouble."

"No trouble. No trouble at all. Bye now."

"But….." Jesse began, suddenly stopping when he heard the sound of a dial tone.

Dr. Foster looked at Dr. Dewberry as soon as he hung up. "I think they bought it."

"I hope so." Dr. Dewberry nodded as he watched Bo heading back toward the cabin. "But even if they do decide to look for him, at least it'll put them in Chickasaw County, away from us."

"Which means we've probably bought at least a couple more days for ourselves." Dr. Foster added.

"And that means phase two can begin immediately." Dr. Dewberry replied as Bo opened the door to the cabin and gave the doctors a friendly smile.

_**Well folks, we done seen what Bo went through under the care of them doctors. Now supposin' that was the outcome of phase one, I'm pretty certain I don't wanna see the outcome of phase two.**_


	10. Chapter 10

"Hello? Hello?" Jesse asked into the phone. "Mabel, I know you's listenin'. Where'd that call come from?"

"I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse, but that was a direct dial. I didn't have anything to do with the connection." Mabel replied.

Without responding, Jesse hung up and looked at Luke. "I ain't sure I like this."

"Well what did he say?" Luke asked.

"He said he'd bring Bo home on his way to pick up some supplies from the Hazzard Hardware Store. Only problem is, he didn't say when that'd be."

Luke spent a few minutes thinking on the situation. "Well, I ain't comfortable with him bein' away from home any longer than he has to. Not since I noticed he left his inhaler behind yesterday. Maybe I oughta go over there and see if I can find him."

"I'm all for huntin' Bo at this point, but you can't go to Chicasaw. Not without breakin' probation."

"I know, but I'll be careful. Even if I's caught I'm sure Boss would be alright with it, long as he understood why I's there."

"Ya can't never tell with J.D. No, I'll go. You can help out by goin' over to the hardware store in town and see if Elmer might can tell you where this Mr. Krandall lives. Most everybody that shops there has a store account."

Luke would have much rather gone to Chicasaw but could understand Jesse's reasoning. "Sounds like a plan." He nodded.

"I volunteer to ride shotgun." Cooter added, pointing at Jesse.

"Ya sure yer up to it?" Jesse asked.

"I'll be fine long as ya don't ride down no roads with a sharp drop and no guardrails." Cooter assured him.

"Well I guess that leaves me to warm the passenger seat of Dixie." Daisy announced, circling her arm around Luke's waist.

"Well let's go then!" Jesse said, leading the group out the kitchen door.

XXXX

"Hey there Elmer!"

"Well if it isn't the lovely Daisy Duke." Elmer replied, kissing her hand and offering her a mischievous smile. He was still a flirt even in his early seventies.

_**Don't reckon ya'll know of anybody else that'll more than likely turn out that way someday, do ya?**_

"Elmer, you make my heart melt every time." Daisy replied with a giggle. "I wonder what your wife would say if she could see us now."

"Don't reckon there's much Rebekka could say. We're both suckers for good looking youngsters. Yer cousins can confess to that. I bet they've wiped the equivalent of a whole tube of her lipstick from their cheeks over the years."

Daisy nodded as she looked at Luke. She remember how, especially when they were younger, Luke and Bo would often sit near the back of the church on Sunday Mornings. It was the best way to make a quick escape after service and avoid Ms. Petty's weekly parade of kisses.

"So, what can I do for you kids today?"

"Well Mr. Petty, we's wonderin' if you could give us Seymour Krandall's address." Luke asked.

"Krandall……Krandall." Elmer Petty repeated, shaking his head. "Name don't ring a bell, Luke. And I thought I knew everybody in Hazzard."

"Well he ain't from Hazzard. Seems he's a resident from over in Chickasaw County, but he told us he's comin' over here to pick some stuff up today. We thought you might have an account on him."

"Well I ain't sayin' he won't, but it wouldn't make much sense for him to buy supplies here, not with that big chain hardware store over there in the city limits. They can offer better prices than me too. Ain't seen no one from Chickasaw in here since they put it in near two years ago."

Luke nodded and knocked on the counter a couple of times as he thought. "Thanks a lot, Mr. Petty." He said before he and Daisy turned to the door.

"Sure thing Luke. Tell your Uncle Jesse them bolt cutters he ordered oughta be here tomorrow."

"Will do." Luke replied as he closed the door.

"What do you make of that?" Daisy asked with worry as she turned to Luke.

"Elmer's just goin' on theory." Luke replied. "If this Mr. Krandall's bringin' Bo home like he says, It'd make sense for him to get whatever he needed from Hazzard. 'Specially if he lives near Deer Creek Falls. It's practically on the county line."

"You reckon Uncle Jesse and Cooter found out anything yet?"

"There's only one way to find out." Luke replied, motioning toward Daisy's jeep. He and Daisy climbed in before she got on the CB. "This is Bo Peep callin' shepherd, you got your ears on?"

"This is shepherd, come back." Uncle Jesse replied.

"Uncle Jesse, we didn't find out anything at the hardware store. Mr. Petty ain't never heard of this Seymour Krandall before."

"I's afraid of that. It just so happened that Sheriff Little had a checkpoint set up across the county line and we had a chance to ask him about this feller too. Turns out he ain't never heard of 'em either."

"Maybe he's one of them ole' backwoods hermits that only comes outta the hills once ever two years." they heard Cooter suggest.

"Hmmm……that wouldn't be likely. Seein' how he'd claimed to be usin' the phone at his own place, he'd at least be getting mail and paying bills- if he existed."

"Are you thinking somebody's givin' us a bogus story?" Daisy asked.

"I don't know." Luke replied, although he couldn't shake that nagging feeling.

"Listen. It ain't gonna hurt none for me and Cooter here to walk over to the falls and see if maybe we can see some sorta trail goin' off in the woods. In the meantime, why don't you kids go back over toward Carter's Lake and see if you can find anything there, since that's where we saw the General last."

"Ten-four shepherd." Luke replied. He nodded toward Daisy and she started Dixie, heading off in the direction of the lake.

XXXXXXXX

"It's getting pretty dark, Luke." Daisy announced as they rounded the lake for what must have been the tenth time.

"Just one more time, Daisy. I just got this feelin' we shouldn't give up yet."

And Luke's feeling served him well, because when the cousins rounded the next bend, a familiar figure met their sight.

"Bo!" Luke shouted out as Daisy slammed on the brakes. Both of them jumped out and ran up to him where he had stopped his stroll on the road.

"Hey ya'll." Bo said.

"Whaddaya mean 'hey ya'll'? You've been gone from home two days and all you say is 'hey ya'll"! Where ya been?" Luke asked.

"Luke, Uncle Jesse's 'bout worried himself into a tizzy. Why don't we get Bo home and show him he's okay then we can all listen to the story at the same time."

Bo smiled. "Boy, I sure would like to go home!"

"Well let's go then sugar." Daisy replied, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the jeep.

"But I can't." Bo replied, pulling his hand out of her grasp.

"Why not?" Daisy asked, noting a look of confusion on Bo's face.

"Because….because….."

"Because what?" Luke pressed.

Bo continued to look confused as he replied. "I don't know."

"Where did you get that hat and coat?"

When Bo didn't answer, Luke continued. "You ain't makin' any sense. I'm sure you're exhausted. Let's get you home so you can rest and….."

"I told you I can't go home!" Bo said forcefully.

"Now listen, little cousin. We've been looking for you all day and now that we've found you, we ain't gonna let you go again, so you might as well climb in that jeep 'fore I have to put you in myself."

Bo just shook his head and began walking away. That's when Luke grabbed hold of his arm.

As he pulled Bo toward the jeep, Bo struggled to loose himself. When he finally did, the pull was so great he simply fell to the ground. When he attempted to get up again, Luke grabbed on to him again.

That put Bo into a rage. With all the strength he had, he pushed Luke away from him. When Luke came at him again, he swung his fist out, catching Luke squarely on the jaw. Daisy watched in shock as Bo turned and dashed into the darkness of the forest as Luke slunk to the ground--unconscious!

_**I wouldn't be surprised if ole Luke ever decided to go back into the Marines. Seems it'd be a might harder to get hurt in battle than it is by livin' in Hazzard.**_


	11. Chapter 11

"Uncle Jesse? Uncle Jesse if you're out there please come in!"

"This is Shepherd, Bo Peep." Uncle Jesse replied into the CB.

"Uncle Jesse, you 'n Cooter's gotta get over to the lake right away!"

"Why, whatsa matter?" Jesse asked.

"We're on the north end, just one turn past Moccasin Bend. Please hurry!"

"What's wrong Daisy?... Daisy?" Uncle Jesse asked, not getting an answer. He looked over at Cooter who had assumed driving duties. "That sure didn't sound good. Let's go!"

Luckily, the pair had just crossed back over the county line from Chickasaw, where they had spent a fruitless afternoon in search of the Seymour Krandall residence. That meant that they were just a stone's throw from the turnoff to the lake. Cooter arrived there in only moments, jerking the wheel to the right to achieve the turn.

As pavement gave way to dirt, the pair were jostled around the cabin of the truck. Jesse, who had began to feel the effects of his skipped lunch, was now glad there was nothing in his stomach to bring about nausea.

Cooter didn't slow until they were in the vicinity of Moccasin Bend, partly because he knew he was near Daisy, more so because he didn't want a repeat performance of the previous night.

A moment later they saw the headlights of Dixie, the beams interrupted by a female head which moved about in front of them. Cooter stopped the truck and he and Jesse threw open the doors, rushing out.

"Daisy! Daisy you alright?" Jesse asked, not noticing the form that lay on the ground in front of the jeep until he was almost on top of it.

"Luke!" He exclaimed as he and Cooter knelt down opposite Daisy.

"Oh Uncle Jesse, he's been out a good five minutes and I can't get him to budge." Daisy announced, patting Luke's cheeks a bit.

Jesse pulled out his handkerchief and spat into it a couple of times, rubbing the material together to make it damp before he commenced to wiping down Luke's face. "What happened to him?" He asked as Cooter wrinkled his nose at the act.

"Bo did it."

"Bo?" Jesse asked, looking at his niece as his nephew began to stir. "Ya mean ya found him?"

"Yeah we did. He was right here walking along the road like he didn't have a care in the world. When we got out and told him to come home with us, he punched Luke and took off runnin'."

"Well why would he do a thing like that?" Cooter asked as Luke sat up a bit, holding his jaw.

"How ya feelin' boy?" Jesse asked.

"Never mind about me. Where's Bo?" Luke asked.

"He went runnin' through the woods there." Daisy replied, pointing off to the side of the road.

"Ya'll load up and scout the road again. I'll take off after him." Cooter announced, turning to sprint into the woods.

Daisy and Jesse assisted Luke to his feet. After he stood there a few moments gaining his balance and giving his head a good shake, he joined Uncle Jesse in the truck.

"Follow me. You keep yer eyes on the right side, we'll keep ours on the left." Jesse instructed, getting a nod from Daisy.

They had driven slowly for about five minutes, commenting on the fact that Bo probably wouldn't come back to the road when they saw a light through the trees.

"Hey what's that light up there?" Luke asked.

Jesse squinted. "I believe that's where J.D.'s fishin' cabin is. Kinda odd fer anybody to be out here this late, though."

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "Might be worth checkin' out."

XXXXX

"Don't worry, he's out again." Dr. Foster said from inside the cabin, closing the door to the bedroom.

"Shows what I know. I thought it'd be safe to let him go out at night." Dr. Dewberry muttered, holding a curtain aside to look out the window. "Just as I thought. Here they come now." He announced, noting the two pair of headlights heading down the cabin drive.

"Okay, we knew this might happen. You remember what to do, right?"

"Yep." Dr. Dewberry replied, rushing from the window as he heard the doors to the pickup slam. He picked up a rod and reel and sat in a rocking chair beside the fireplace, where he commenced to threading the line.

"What was that lady's name again, the one who this cabin belongs to?" Dr. Foster whispered as there was a knock on the door.

"Lulu. Lulu Hogg."

"That you, Lulu?" Dr. Foster shouted as he went to the door. He opened it with a big smile which turned into a look of surprise. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you's my cousin Lulu."

Jesse offered him a friendly smile as some thunder rumbled in the background. "That's alright. Uh, my name's Jesse Duke. This here's my niece Daisy and my nephew Luke. We's wonderin' if you'd seen a young man around these parts, bout 6'2 with blond hair and blue eyes. That'd be my other nephew, Bo."

"He mighta been wearin' a cowboy hat." Luke offered, to which Jesse shot him a look of confusion.

Dr. Foster shrugged his shoulders. "I'm awfully sorry, folks, but we came up from Atlanta just this afternoon to enjoy a weekend of fishing. We ain't been around long enough to notice anybody."

"Oh." Jesse nodded. "Well if you see him around, would you tell Lulu? Again, his name's Bo. She'll know who you mean."

"Be glad to." Dr. Foster replied. "I hope he's alright."

"We do too." Luke replied with some dread in his voice.

As the Dukes turned to leave, Dr. Foster closed the door. "Guess you realize what we have to do now." He said to Dr. Dewberry.

Tom Dewberry nodded. They listened as the jeep and pickup started up and pulled away. Then they walked together toward the bedroom where Bo slept. When they opened the door, the surprise on their face was genuine this time.

The window was open.

And Bo was gone.

XXXXXXXX

As the night wore on, they met back up with Cooter and it became evident that any search for Bo would have to commence following some much needed rest on the part of all. The last thing Luke remembered was seeing the alarm clock turn to 1 a.m. before he finally drifted off into a restless sleep.

Now it was his turn to dream. There they all were at the gravesite again, digging frantically for Bo. Only this time when the lid was opened, Bo was in there. He had his eyes opened and he spoke. But he was dead, they all knew it.

"Why'd you let me die, Luke?" He asked.

"I didn't, Bo. I tried to find you in time. I really did."

"I was lost and you took too long to find me. That's why I'm gone."

"I didn't mean for it to turn out this way." Luke whispered.

"Well it did Luke." Bo replied, on the verge of tears. "If you'd just found me in time, I'd still be alive."

"Bo….." Luke trailed off in a heartbreaking tone as Bo finally closed his eyes. "Bo….."

He jerked awake, sitting up in the bed. As he looked around his bedroom and heard the hail from the thunderstorm outside, he shivered in a cold sweat.

He took a deep breath, realizing afterward that he felt a presence in the room. Since the power had gone out, he got up to dig a flashlight from the nightstand drawer.

Feeling it at last, he pulled it out and flicked it on. He was offered only a brief glimpse of the room when the batteries decided to die.

But it didn't matter. The flash of lightning outside offered him a view that he was both surprised and frightened to see.

It was a view of Bo Duke standing next to him, his normally mischievous face twisted into an ugliness of pure hatred!

_**Folks, them spook houses you pay money to git in and see ain't got nothin' on what we're lookin' at right now.**_


	12. Chapter 12

"Bo!" Luke exclaimed. The room was dark again but Luke could remember the look on his face. "Bo, what's wrong?"

"Just come to get some of my stuff." Bo replied in a monotone voice as Luke heard him walk toward his closet and dig around for his suitcase.

"Why? Where you goin'?" Luke asked.

"Don't know." Bo replied in the same monotone voice.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I mean I don't know. All I know is I can't stay here."

Although it was still stormy outside, the house came alive with electricity again. The bathroom light that was normally left on at night cast a soft glow into the boys' bedroom from across the hall. Bo finally spotted his suitcase and brought it to his bed, where he unlatched it to begin packing.

"Look, if you're upset about hitting me, don't worry about it. I'm okay."

Bo shrugged his shoulders as he took clothes out of his closet. "I ain't upset about it."

"Oh." Luke replied, somewhat surprised. "Then why are you leaving."

"Just can't stay here no more, that's why."

"What's goin' on….Bo!" Daisy exclaimed, appearing in the doorway. She then noticed that he was packing. "Where's he goin'?" She asked Luke.

"I don't know, he won't tell me!" Luke replied.

Suddenly, they all heard a big crash come from the front of the house. Uncle Jesse rushed from his bedroom into the hallway where he stopped to observe the living room, where the remnants of a sweetgum tree protruded through a section of the ceiling, dripping water all over the floor.

"That's all we need." Jesse muttered, looking toward the boys' bedroom. "Bo, you're back! Good, we need all the help we can git. You boys grab the chainsaws and set ta work gittin' that tree off the house. Daisy, see what ya can do to catch some of that water, then git out to the barn and grab that tarp that's bein' used to cover the tractor. I'll get the ladder set up so's we can git up there and nail it to the roof. It's all we kin do 'till this storm blows over 'nd it lightens up out."

"C'mon Bo!" Luke exclaimed, waving Bo toward him. Bo simply shook his head and continued to pack. "Bo, we need your help!"

"I don't live here no more. Ain't my problem." He replied, shrugging his shoulders before he continued to pack.

Luke just shook his head and ran out the bedroom door. There was no time to argue, not with the rain coming down in buckets.

He put on what little clothing that was absolutely necessary and ran out to the barn, where he grabbed a chainsaw. Bringing it back to the house, he climbed the ladder and jerked on the line a few times before it finally roared to life.

"Where's Bo?" Jesse shouted as he braced the ladder for Luke who began sawing at the tree.

"He's inside!" Luke yelled back over the sound of the pounding rain.

"Why ain't he helpin'?"

"I dunno Jesse, somethin's gotta be wrong with him!" Luke replied as the section of the tree that wasn't touching the house finally gave way to the ground. Luke then grabbed the hunting flashlight that Daisy handed up to him and climbed on the roof where he began sawing at limbs.

"What are you doing up here?" He exclaimed a moment later as he saw Jesse beside him, grabbing up the sawed limbs and tossing them over the side.

"Ya can't do this all by yourself!"

"Ya got no business up here! This is a medal roof, you could slip and fall!"

"So could you! Now quit jabberin' and git busy!"

Luke shook his head a bit before he turned and continued sawing. About ten minutes later, when the hard rainfall had turned into a steady drizzle, the tree was cleared away. Luke and Jesse spread the tarp over the opening and nailed it down. Satisfied with the temporary patch job, they began to climb down.

"Careful, Uncle Jesse." Daisy said, holding the underside of the rung ladder as her Uncle made his decent. Suddenly, about midway down, his foot slipped and he landed on the ground with a hard thud!

"Uncle Jesse!" Luke and Daisy exclaimed simultaneously. Luke took the ladder rungs two at a time and hopped over to the side, where he knelt beside his uncle along with Daisy. "Jesse, you alright?"

Jesse gritted his teeth. "I think I mighta busted my ankle." He replied, his bedclothes covered with mud.

"Bo! Bo!" Luke yelled. When his cousin didn't show after a moment, he looked at Daisy. "Think you can handle it?"

"I'll sure try." Daisy nodded. The cousins each roped an arm around Jesse. At the count of three, they strained and finally managed to lift him off the ground. Leading him toward the stairs, they assisted him inside.

"Take me over to my chair." Jesse instructed. His kids assisted him to his easy chair which was in an area not affected by the downed tree. Daisy then took the injured ankle and slowly elevated it to place it on the cushioned footstool.

"Easy! Easy!" Jesse exclaimed, pointing to his ankle as it was moved.

When his foot finally rested on the stool, Bo emerged from the bedroom, carrying two suitcases.

"I had to borrow your suitcase, Luke. I'll make sure it's returned." He announced before looking at Jesse. "What happened to you?"

"He fell off the ladder, Bo." Luke replied, anger evident in his voice.

"Oh." Bo replied. "Well don't worry, Uncle Jesse. You're a Duke, you'll be good as new in a couple of days."

"He shouldn't even need a couple of days, Bo Duke!" Daisy exclaimed, getting up to face her younger cousin head on. "Uncle Jesse didn't have no business bein' up on that roof helpin' Luke. He only did it 'cause you's in here and you refused to come out."

Bo shook his head. "This house ain't my responsibility no more since I ain't gonna be livin' here."

"I don't know what that's all about, but it shouldn't matter where you're livin'. This man sittin' here's your Uncle Jesse and if there's somethin' like that that needs doin', then it's up to you to see it's done!"

Bo simply shrugged his shoulders. "Well, guess I'll be goin' now."

His family looked at him with open mouths as he let the conversation end at that and trudged to the kitchen door. Luke snapped out of it and went after him.

"You ain't goin' nowhere, Bo. Not tonight, and most likely, not tomorrow. Not without telling us where you're going and what you're up to."

"I told you already, I don't know where I'm going."

"Bo that's a lie!"

"It is not! Just listen to yourself. You're treating me like a kid and you're calling me a liar. Why would I want to live under the same roof as you?"

"Just git back in the living room and sit down!" Luke ordered, pointing toward the living room.

When Bo turned to open the door again, Luke grabbed his arm. Bo turned around swinging. He swung his arm out to give Luke a right cross. This time, Luke ducked. He came back up and formed a fist, ramming it into Bo's stomach. As Bo doubled over, he caught Luke around the waste, throwing him back against the kitchen table. As the table broke, the pair landed with a thud on the floor, both throwing wild punches at each other.

"Stop it!" Daisy yelled.

"Cut it out, you two!" Jesse snarled from where he sat.

Moments later, Bo got the upper hand. He delivered a couple of punches to Luke's stomach before he got up. To everyone's horror. He bent his leg back before bringing his boot forward, putting a lot of strength behind the kick he delivered to Luke's stomach!

As Luke lay gasping for breath, Daisy stormed over to Bo. "Bo Duke, I ain't never hated you more than I hate you now!" She exclaimed, bending her hand back before smacking Bo across his cheek!

In response, Bo's neck snapped to the right. Turning to face her with an evil stare, he backhanded her with a lightning reflex, sending her to the floor beside Luke!

_**I'm always ready to whoop anybody who's mean to sweet Daisy, but folks, this is one time when it would hurt me worse than it hurt him.**_

(Here's hoping that you and your family have a blessed Easter. Don't eat to much dressing---save it for me! ((dressing- that might be known as 'stuffing' to you non-rebel types—but don't call if it comes out of that red box, I like the homemade variety!)) :D


	13. Chapter 13

Where could Bo be now?

That was the question on Jesse's mind the following morning as Daisy drove him to Doc Appleby's office to have his ankle checked on.

He thought back to the previous night's events. He, Luke, and Daisy- they were all wet and exhausted after taking care of the tree in the raging storm, not to mention that the throbbing of his hurt ankle had certainly demanded more than its fair share of attention.

Still, he thought with guilt, he should have realized something was seriously wrong with his nephew.

"I never thought I'd say this to one of my youngin's". He had said with trembling breath after watching Bo smack Daisy to the floor. "But you git out of my house. You git out, and don't come back 'till ya straighten yerself out."

He would never forget the expressions on Bo's face. It had seemed to go instantly from anger to shock to sorrow before finally returning to nonchalant before he opened the door.

"That's all I was tryin' to do-leave." Bo added before he closed the door behind him.

He had barely had time to get off the porch when Jesse realized he had made a mistake. "Bo! Bo come back!" He yelled. But his nephew never returned. Moments later, as Luke and Daisy were getting to their feet, he heard a car pass by slowly. Surprised that anyone else was up and about at this time of night, they looked out the window and noticed that the car stopped a little way down the road for a moment before continuing on.

"This is Deputy Enos Strait callin' any of you Dukes out there." Enos said into the C.B., bringing Jesse out of his thoughts.

"Ya got Daisy here, honey."

"Hey there Daisy." Enos replied. "Listen, babes, I've been out lookin' for Bo ever since ya'll called last night but honey, I'm just worn out. My shift started at 10 last night….I'm goin' on my eleventh hour."

"That's okay, Enos, you go on home and rest. Luke and Cooter are out looking for him right now and I imagine Rosco 'ill pick up where you left off."

"Well I ain't so sure you can count on the sheriff. I told him Bo went missing and even explained that ya'll had been lookin' for him over the last couple of days, but he just said he didn't have time for stuff like that and went on about his business."

"Another words, he reacted the way he normally does whenever any of us Dukes needs him." Jesse muttered from the passenger seat.

Daisy shook her head. "Thanks for checkin' in with us, sugar. We'll give you a heads up if we hear anything."

"Ten-four. Over and out……..sweetie." Enos replied.

_**Well it wasn't much later when Daisy pulled the pickup truck into a parking space in front of the Hazzard Hotel which, as you probably recall, is where Doc Appleby kept his small office. But it wasn't 'till she got there that she remembered she might have a small problem.**_

"Oh no, Uncle Jesse! Doc Appleby's on the third floor. How am I ever gonna get you up there?" She exclaimed after she already had Jesse out of the pickup with one arm around her shoulders.

"Need some help, little lady?" She heard a voice off to her side ask.

Daisy and Jesse turned to see a military man in full uniform standing there. The man, who looked to be in his mid fifties, offered no smile to go along with his chivalry.

"I need to get my Uncle up to see Doc Appleby, on the third floor." Daisy explained.

"I'm on my way to see him myself." The military man replied. "Sampson!"

A young man also in uniform who appeared to be Bo or Luke's age came rushing forward. "Sir!" He replied with a salute.

"At ease." The Major replied. "Help me assist this gentleman inside."

"Why thank you, thank ya kindly!" Jesse replied as the military men went on either side of him and practically carried him inside.

"Mornin' Doris." Daisy offered in greeting as they passed the clerk who ran the front desk.

"Hey Daisy. Ya'll goin' up to see Doc Appleby?"

"Yep, Uncle Jesse here's hurt his ankle."

"Well I'm afraid you're in for a wait. He's over checking on one of Claiborne Reynolds' cows. Poor thing got hurt in that terrible storm last night."

"That's alright, we'll wait." Jesse replied as he directed the military men to Doc Appleby's room.

Once inside, they dropped Uncle Jesse onto a sofa in the waiting area. "Comfortable, sir?" The Major asked.

"Yes, yes thank you." Jesse replied.

As Daisy sat next to her uncle, the military men sat opposite them on the other sofa. "We sure don't see many men in uniform around these parts." Daisy announced, smiling at the younger one she had heard referred to as 'Sampson' and getting a big smile of her own in return.

"Fortunately for Hazzard, there's not much that brings us here." The Major replied, taking some photos out of his pocket and handing them to Jesse. "Since the doctor's not here, maybe you can help me. Do either of those men look familiar to you?"

Jesse examined the photos, pointing to one of them as Daisy looked on from the side. "Why that man there looks like Miss. Lulu's cousin from Atlanta."

"And that's probably the feller that was with him, fixin' his fishin' line." Daisy added, pointing to the other picture, neither realizing that Jesse held photos of Drs. Tom Dewberry and George Foster.

The Major leaned forward with a very serious expression. "You know where these men are?"

"Why sure. They're over at J.D.'s fishin' cabin out on Carter's Lake." Jesse replied.

"Can either of you tell us how to get to this cabin?" Sampson asked.

"Kinda hard, sugar. Ain't that easy explaining how to get to the lake, let alone how to find the cabin once you get there."

"Could you show us?" The Major asked.

Jesse shrugged his shoulders. "Be glad to."

Without another word, the military men went back over to Jesse, raising him from the couch and taking him out the door and back down the stairs.

"Wait a minute!" Jesse snarled as they all went down the stairs. "I meant when I's done seein' the doctor!"

"'Fraid there's no time for that, sir. Every minute we waste is a minute too many." The Major replied.

"But why?" Daisy asked as she followed the trio, climbing into the military vehicle after they had thrust Jesse inside.

"We're not at liberty to discuss it, ma'am." Sampson replied as the Major took off.

As Daisy and Jesse pointed out directions, the vehicle traveled at speeds that would rival an ambulance driver.

Soon they had turned on to Carter's Lake road. Bumping along, they soon turned onto the drive that led down to the cabin, Jesse thinking that it was ironic that this was the second trip in as many days to the cabin he rarely visited.

Before the vehicle had even come to a complete stop, the major thrust it into park and he and Sampson jumped out, guns drawn. They rushed up to the cabin and tried the locked knob. Then, without warning, they kicked in the door!

Daisy, who was never one to sit idly by, opened the door and rushed toward the cabin to find out what was going on for herself.

"Daisy! Stop!" Uncle Jesse yelled after her.

Daisy did stop, but only after she arrived at the cabin door. She looked around and noticed that some of the furniture was either turned over or pushed out of the way. The closet door was opened, only a few pieces of clothing on the rack and many hangers on the floor, showing that clothes had been ripped out hurriedly. And the pantry was open, the few cans overturned and some on the floor as if someone had hurriedly grabbed some out at random.

The military men returned from the rear room, looking around the front room once again. Finally, Sampson turned to look at his superior.

"They're gone!" He confirmed.

_**Yep Sampson, they're gone. But thinkin' back on that car that stopped just outside the Duke property late last night, I've got a feelin' they ain't off by themselves.**_


	14. Chapter 14

(After a research of army rankings, my Corporal has become a Major. GrayWolf84 supplied his name-I thought a military brat deserved that honor. So Thanks...BRAT:D )

The Major looked up and spied Daisy standing in the doorway. He and Sampson walked over to her.

"Who did your uncle say this cabin belonged to?"

"Boss…uh, J.D. Hogg, the County Commissioner."

The Major arched his eyebrow knowingly before he turned to the Private. "Sampson, you wait here in case they decide to come back. In the meantime, dig through what's left and see if you can come up with a clue as to where they might have gone. I'll have the girl and her uncle take me to the County Commissioner to find out what he knows."

"Yes sir!" Sampson replied.

The Major led Daisy back out to the vehicle where Jesse waited. It didn't take long for them to get back in town, where they headed straight for the Hazzard County Jail.

"Bear with me just a few moments and I'll see you get back up to the doctor's office." The Major assured Jesse, taking him out of the car and assisting him inside to avoid the extreme heat of the day.

Daisy followed the Major inside, who helped Jesse onto a bench. Rosco was just stepping out of Boss's office with a drinking glass in his hand when Jesse was finally settled.

"Oh! Uh….." Rosco babbled, looking from Jesse and Daisy to the Major. "….Can I help you?"

"Major General Gene Edwards, U.S. Army." The Major replied. "I need to speak with the County Commissioner, J.D. Hogg."

"Okay……" Rosco began, wondering if he should give Boss a warning first. "…..well actually I'm not sure that…..he's here. ...as a matter of fact I need to check………"

"Rosco!" Boss exclaimed, stepping out of his office and holding a small soft pretzel in his hand. "How long does it take to get some water around here? Whatcha doin'? Holdin' the glass out the window and waitin' fer it to rain?" He asked, finally turning to look at the Major when Rosco pointed discreetly toward him.

"Oh!" Boss exclaimed, suddenly looking nervous. He had no idea why the Major was there, but even he knew the mere fact that he was standing there was serious business.

"Mr. Hogg, I presume?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah. Jefferson Davis Hogg." Boss replied, offering the Major a hand, which he accepted.

"Mr. Hogg, I am Major General Gene Edwards, U.S. Army." The Major introduced himself again just before dropping Boss's hand. He reached into his pocket and withdrew the photos of the doctors before handing them to Boss. "I am searching for the gentlemen pictured in these photos. Can you tell me where I might find them?"

"Hmmm….." Boss drew out, turning the photos to one side then the other in examination. "Can't rightly say that I recognize them. What about you, Rosco?" He asked, pushing the photos into the sheriff's hand.

"Oh, well I…" Rosco began, looking at the photos.

"Mr. Duke tells me he witnessed the pair just last evening at your Carter's Lake cabin."

"He did? Oh he did!" Boss laughed nervously. "Of course. I remember them now. They come up just the other day lookin' to rent a fishin' cabin, so naturally I let 'em use mine."

Major Edwards eyed him suspiciously as he took out a small memo book and began flipping pages. "Hogg….Hogg….." He repeated before finally pointing to some writing for himself. "So you have no further knowledge of them other than being renters?"

"No, other than they're from somewhere near Atlanta, as I recall." Boss replied, remembering the payoff and free treatments he had received from Dr. Dewberry. Although he didn't know exactly what the doctor was up too, part of the deal was that he was to keep his mouth shut about the whole incident

"So…" The Major continued, "Despite the fact that you, J.D. Hogg, had exactly three treatments from the hypnotist, Dr. Dewberry, you cannot recall his appearance?"

Boss simply stood with open mouth, omitting a low growling sound and wondering how the Major knew about that as Gene Edwards closed the memo booklet and replaced it in his pocket. "You of all people, Commissioner, should know the penalty of aiding and abetting a known felon."

"But but but…." Boss stuttered. "I didn't know he was a felon, sir. I swear….and I don't know where he is!"

He stepped around the Major and wagged a finger in front of Jesse. "If yer lookin' to arrest somebody over this, arrest Jesse Duke here!"

"What!" Jesse and Daisy asked simultaneously.

"Yeah, get after him. He oughta know where Dr. Dewberry is, with all that time his nephew Bo's been spendin' with him!"

"What!" Daisy asked again as Jesse looked at Boss in shock.

"No wonder Rosco wouldn't help us this morning." Jesse sighed after a few minutes, worrying about his nephew's involvement with these wanted men. "J.D., ya mean to tell me ya knew Bo was in some sort of trouble and you didn't come and tell me about it?"

"No Jesse. I mean, well, I knew he was with Dr. Dewberry but I didn't think about him bein' in no kind of trouble.

"What was he doin' with him, Boss?" Daisy asked.

"Well, he's getting some of them hypnosis treatments himself, tryin' to git rid of some bad dreams from what I understand." Boss replied.

"So Bo Duke is your nephew?" Major Edwards asked, taking the memo again and finding Bo's name written inside.

"Yeah." Jesse replied, settling back and looking toward the ceiling to let it all sink in before he looked at the Major. "Ya mean to tell me you knew about Bo too?"

"Lost sheep one callin' shepherd." A voice over the C.B. announced.

Jesse motioned for Daisy to hand him the C.B. off the desk behind him. "This is shepherd, any luck findin' Bo?"

"'Fraid not, Shepherd, but I did find another member of the family. General Lee was parked under the Campbell Bridge with some brush all over top of it, and a wallet inside that don't belong to none of us."

"A wallet?"

"Yep. Probably got left behind by whoever stole it. Looks like the guilty party is a George Stephen Foster. Got an Atlanta address on his license."

Jesse looked up to see the Major making wild gestures in the air. He knew what they meant. "Uh, stay put lost sheep, we'll be along directly."

"Ten-four." Luke replied.

The Major assisted Jesse up once again before taking him back out and putting him in his vehicle. After Daisy climbed into the back, he insisted on directions to Campbell Bridge as Boss and Rosco climbed into a patrol car to follow them.

The Major took a moment to pick Sampson up from the cabin before heading toward the bridge. They arrived just in time to see Luke and Cooter tossing the last bit of brush away from the car.

"Hey!" Luke greeted them when Daisy finally emerged with the Major while Sampson stayed behind to assist Jesse. "Didn't recognize you in that humvee. Everything alright?" He asked, seeing Major Edwards.

"Young man, may I have the wallet you found?" The Major asked, extending his hand.

"Give it to him, Luke." Jesse instructed as he was being helped down the embankment.

In confusion, Luke handed the wallet over and watched as the Major examined the contents.

"Alright." Jesse began, finally standing next to Luke. "Now you've got yer wallet. Now tell me what's up with these doctors."

"As we explained earlier today, sir, we're not at liberty to discuss it." Major Edwards replied.

Daisy stepped in front of him with her arms crossed and a fighting spirit. "Well that 'it' involves our cousin, Bo, and we ain't lettin' 'it' go until you tell us what's happening!" She demanded.

"What?" Luke and Cooter asked, looking at each other in confusion before they looked toward Daisy.

"These fellas are after a couple of shady characters, and Boss just told us Bo had been hangin' out with them, supposedly receiving hypnosis sessions to get rid of those dreams." Daisy explained.

"Hypnosis?" Luke frowned in sorrow. "Why didn't Bo tell us about this?"

"Cause he knew how we was worryin' about him, I suppose." Daisy replied softly. "Poor Bo, there ain't no tellin' what them doctors put in his head."

"That'd certainly explain the peculiar way he acted at the farm last night." Luke added.

"Mister, you better just come clean 'cause even though we realize this has something to do with hypnotism, we also realize that ain't enough fer the army to send out one of their majors." Jesse revealed.

Major Edwards looked back at Sampson before he turned and looked at each of the waiting faces. As Rosco and Boss finally joined the group, he began. "Can I count on you all to keep this under your hats?"

A lot of yeses and nods went through the group.

"Well it that case, do you want the long version or the short version?"

"The short, for starters." Jesse replied.

Major Edwards took a deep breath before he began. "We believe Beauregard Duke has become an unwilling participant in project 2XS-2HF, known in more common terms as the Wildflower Project."

"Well what does that mean?" Daisy asked.

"It means that he just answered our question, only not in a way we could understand it." Luke replied, with arms folded. "C'mon mister." He said. "Just tell us in layman's terms what's goin' on with our cousin."

"Your cousin…..." Major Edwards began, looking at Sampson for encouragement one more time before he turned back to the group. "…..Is being used as a human subject in the illegal testing of an unapproved drug being researched for use explicitly within the military."

**_And when ya thought it was just about over, Major Edwards went and opened up a big ole can of worms._**


	15. Chapter 15

Major Edwards held the wallet up in front of Luke.

"Thank you, young man. From what I saw in this wallet, I have a pretty good idea where we can find your cousin now. Sampson!"

"Sir!" Sampson responded.

"Assist Mr. Duke to the sheriff's car. I'll thank you, sheriff, to see Mr. Duke to Dr. Appleby's office."

"He'll not see me nowhere!" Jesse exclaimed. "You ain't dragged me around all day ta let me go right when you're goin' after my nephew. And I'm gonna be right there when ya git to 'im."

"And he won't be by himself either." Luke added as Daisy nodded in agreement.

Major Edwards looked at the Dukes. The short time he had known them was enough to tell him they wouldn't take no for an answer. "Sampson, assist Mr. Duke into the Hummer."

"Yes sir!" Sampson replied, going to rope Jesse's arm around his shoulders as Luke took the other arm.

"Cooter, you'll get the General outta here, won't ya?" Luke shot back.

"Sure thing!" Cooter replied.

"Commissioner, I'm afraid you and your sheriff will have to stay behind, but stand by on the C.B. radio, in case we need your assistance."

"Yes sir!" Rosco replied with a goofy salute, which Boss frowned about.

It took only moments for Sampson to settle Jesse into the passenger seat of the Hummer before he climbed in the back next to Luke and Daisy.

"Where we goin'?" Jesse asked.

"Capitol City." The major replied.

"Capitol City. That's at least 20 minutes away. Seems to me that oughta be enough time for you to give us that long version you's talkin' about."

Major Edwards glanced at him before looking in the rearview mirror at Luke and Daisy's expectant faces.

"From what we understand…" He began after he had pulled onto the main road. "Tom Dewberry's interest with Bo Duke began in the office of Homer Appleby. Seems Dr. Dewberry overheard Bo telling Dr. Appleby about problems he was having with some nightmares."

"As hard as it is to believe, they come about after a couple of no good varmints from Bo's past kidnapped him and ended up burying him alive in a cemetery for a number of days." Jesse explained.

"Yes, I know." The major nodded. "And after he had a chance to really talk with Bo, Dr. Dewberry knew that too. He knew that the nightmares Bo was suffering from was a sign of post traumatic stress disorder, a disorder that is, unfortunately, quite common to our military men and women who serve on the battlefield. So he offered to help him get rid of them."

Daisy shook her head. "So he used what he knew about Bo to convince him that this drug would help him get rid of the dreams?" She shook her head. "I just can't believe it. Bo was never much to take even a headache pill."

"You're jumping the gun a bit, little lady. You see, I very seriously doubt that Bo ever knew that drugs were being administered to him."

"The hypnotism." Luke said, seeing where the major was going. "Dr. Dewberry convinced Bo that his dreams would be cured with the use of hypnotism, and while he was under, he administered the drugs to him."

"Well, you're on the right track. Bo did receive the drugs while he was under hypnotism, but the administer was not Tom Dewberry. It was George Foster, a former military M.D."

"A former military M.D.?" Jesse frowned. "If he's former, why's he still got an interest in the drug development?"

"Former or not, Mr. Duke, there's a lot of money to be had in the successful creation of this drug." The major explained. "Dr. Foster was a very active participant in the development before he was dishonorably discharged. That discharge came about when it was discovered that he conducted experiments with large quantities of military money and supplies beyond what was permitted for the research."

"So how does he fund his research now?" Daisy asked

"Before he left, he had come up with what he considered a successful formula. However, considering probable violent side effects, the military would never approve it for human testing. But Dr. Foster was determined. He figured if he found his own volunteer, one who had suffered a trauma such as your nephew did, and it resulted in a successful test, he would still receive all the praise, as well as a very generous amount of money. While searching for that volunteer, he met Dr. Dewberry, thinking one of his patients might fit the bill. As you can imagine, however, finding someone to volunteer for such an experiment can't be easy. After several failed attempts, they finally came up with the plan that was eventually carried out on Bo."

"Well that pretty much explains where they came from and how they got ahold of Bo, but we still don't fully understand how this drug's affectin' him, or what it's supposed to do." Jesse confirmed.

"The drug administration is a bit complicated. According to the notes we found that were created by Dr. Foster, there is an initial injection meant to prepare the body for the acceptation of the main drug. The initial injection itself carries some very nasty side effects, such as vomiting and high fever….seems the body recognizes it as a bacteria or virus." He looked at Jesse. "Those were notes specifically found concerning the test on Bo."

As the family took the news in, the major continued. "As far as the results of the main drug, we found no notes or information on that. But military notes recorded on animal testing of drugs using similar formulas reported violence."

"Well we can certainly confirm that for you." Luke replied, filling the major in on the events at the farmhouse the previous night.

"Sir, we're at a point where we can understand how Bo got involved, and what the drugs may have done to him, but what I still don't understand is what the military is hoping that this drug will do for their solders." Daisy admitted.

"Make them better fighters." The Major explained. "When you're on a battlefield, and you see people fallin' down around you, most people either feel sorry for them and want to help them orget scared and run the other way. Emotions often get the best of our solders. The goal of this drug is to temporarily numb the emotions so that they can concentrate on fighting rather than empathy or fear."

"So what yer sayin' is the U.S. of A. government wants a drug that'll take away their conscious." Jesse snarled.

The major had to nod. He had just admitted it. "Somehow coming from you, Mr. Duke, it sounds like a horrible thing."

"You don't think so? What if this drug got developed and one of the solders that was usin' it got off in town somewhere and saw somebody he's ordered to kill sneak off in a buildin'? And suppose he had a grenade on him. If they's a little local girl sittin on the steps of the building that enemy had just entered, is that solder gonna be able to stop himself from throwin' that grenade, knowin' that little innocent life was sittin' there?"

"Well…." The Major began.

"Don't stumble tryin' to come up with somethin', cause I figure you can't. Instead, tell me what yer thoughts are on my nephew."

The major sighed with guilt. "Well as you must realize, any strange behavior on the part of your nephew over the last few days was a result of the combined efforts of both hypnotism and the drug. How it has affected his dreams, as I'm sure was the doctors' main interest, is unknown. However, we fear….." He trailed off.

"Fear what?" Jesse asked as Daisy put her hand to her mouth.

"Well, from what we've heard on the phone tap at Dr. Foster's office, we fear that the results of the drug administration may be permanent. And that could be bad. Very bad."

"Luke!" Daisy whispered, burying her head on his shoulder. Luke and Jesse sat not knowing what to say when they suddenly came to a screeching halt in front of a run down motel.

"Sampson!" The major yelled, making everyone jump. On cue, he and Sampson jumped out of the Hummer, drawing their guns.

The Dukes watched as the pair raced down the walk toward the rooms at the end. Jesse then recognized the car he had seen at Boss's cabin parked in front of one of them.

As if it were a replay, Jesse watched as the major kicked the door to the room in. He and Sampson then rushed inside, emerging moments later with the two doctors, ordering them to the ground.

Luke and Daisy jumped out of the hummer and ran toward the room. "Where is he, where is Bo?" Daisy asked.

A loud crash nearby brought their attention to the room. They looked inside and were horrified by what they saw.

There was no doubt this time that Bo seemed to be going mad. He wandered around the room, throwing things against the wall, turning the mattresses over and just generally beating his fists on whatever he could.

"We were trying to fix it, we really were." Dr. Foster announced as he was being handcuffed. Knowing he was caught, he went ahead and explained what they had been doing. "We tried hypnosis, we tried giving him other drugs to combat the effects, but it just kept getting worse."

"Extreme violence. I was afraid of that." The Major mumbled.

"Do something for him!" Daisy wailed as she watched Bo smash his fist into a mirror, shattering it.

"I'm afraid there's only one thing I can do at this point, little lady." The major replied, raising his gun toward Bo.

"No!" Daisy yelled.

Jesse watched horrified as Luke tried to grabfor the gun, but it was too late.

The gun was fired.

And Bo fell to the floor, unmoving.

**_Speaking of extreme, I think that's what we can consider the Major's reaction._**


	16. Chapter 16

Bo!"

Luke shoved the Major aside as he took a sprint into the hotel room. Daisy was right beside him when he reached Bo, who he turned onto his back looking for signs of the gunshot wound.

"Young man, I could have you arrested for that!" Major Edwards snarled as Jesse demanded information quite verbally from inside the hummer.

Luke scanned his cousin's body until he small syringe jutting out from his left arm.

"Oh Luke! It was a tranquilizer gun!" Daisy sighed in relief, removing the dart from Bo's arm and massaging it.

"Of course it is! Wait a minute…..you thought………" The Major trailed off.

"Well you didn't exactly let us in on that part of the plan!" Luke pointed out as he heard Jesse yelling from outside. "He's alright, Uncle Jesse!" He announced with a raised voice.

"Well not exactly." Daisy pointed out, examining Bo's bloody knuckles and bruises that resulted from his drug induced fit as she heard sirens outside.

Moments later, thanks to a call from the motel owner, an ambulance and police cruiser pulled into the parking lot.

"I'm going to get things in order here." The Major announced, leaving Daisy and Luke alone with Bo for a moment before the paramedics arrived. He called Sampson to join him as he explained things to the police before turning responsibility for Dewberry and Foster over to them.

As he was walking back, he saw the paramedics wheel Bo out of the room. He put up his hands to stop them before walking over and searching for the security belts that were attached to the gurney. He then ordered that the paramedics fasten the two on the ends securely while he fastened Bo's arms tightly to his sides.

"Why are you doing that?" Daisy asked as she and Luke looked at Bo sadly.

"We don't know what will happen when he wakes up." The Major explained, satisfied that Bo wouldn't be able to move should he return to consciousness. "We'll be taking him to the Veteran's Hospital in Atlanta." He instructed the paramedics who nodded their understanding.

The Major then steered Daisy and Luke toward Uncle Jesse so he would know what was going on as well. "We won't know what to expect until we get him to the hospital and they can do some blood work to determine the amount of drugs in his system. I'll also dispatch some officers to interview Dewberry and Foster. I don't think we'll have much trouble from them as far as finding out what was administered to Bo. I know it sounds crazy to all of you right now, but I'm sure they never intended for it to go this far."

"Yer right, it does sound crazy." Jesse confirmed.

It was decided that Luke and Sampson would ride in the back of the ambulance with Bo to Atlanta, while Major Edwards would drive the Hummer down with Jesse and Daisy inside.

"Bo. Bo can you hear me?" Luke asked during the road trip.

After a few long moments and Luke's repeated calls, Bo finally came to enough to focus on his cousin.

"Luke?"

"Right here." Luke announced.

"Luke, somethin's wrong, I can't get loose!" Bo exclaimed, realizing he was restrained. His face turned red with anger as he worked against the restraints. "Get me loose!"

"Fraid I can't, cuz. Just try to relax."

"Relax! Luke, if you woke up in a strange place all tied up and your cousin wouldn't do anything about it, how relaxed would you feel?"

"Bo, you're in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. Don't you remember what happened?" Luke asked.

Bo frowned in concentration as he thought. "I ain't real sure, but whatever it was, it mustave made me pretty mad 'cause I feel like I could beat somebody to a pulp right about now!"

"I'm with ya there." Luke had to admit.

Bo's angry expression gave way as he suddenly faced a wave of nausea. The paramedic grabbed something to help him deal with the sickness before Bo settled back down.

"What happened to me, Luke?" He asked, breathing deeply trying to settle his stomach.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Luke asked.

"It's kinda fuzzy." Bo admitted as he tried to remember. "Seems I's on a walk around Carter's Lake. I think you and Daisy were there too. We's all talkin' about goin' home….." Bo trailed off. He then shook his head. "That's the last thing I remember."

"You don't remember being at the farm last night? About the tree through the roof or Uncle Jesse spraining his ankle?"

"No I don't remember Luke! I don't remember anything you're talkin' about! I just think you're trying to keep my mind off the fact that I can't get up and you won't do nothin' about it!" Bo exclaimed in a rage as he struggled against the restraints again.

"Don't take it personal." Sampson told Luke as he watched Bo's struggle with worry. "It's the drugs."

XXXXXX

Once they arrived at the hospital, Major Edwards made sure the staff understood that it was in everyone's best interest to keep Bo restrained until they knew exactly what they were dealing with.

At least the Dukes had something to do while Bo was being attended to. Because Jesse was a veteran, he was qualified to have his ankle treated there at the hospital. Luke and Daisy were right by his side as he was x-rayed and diagnosed with a nasty sprain. By the time his ankle had been bandaged up and he had been outfitted with a pair of crutches, they arrived in the waiting area to find Major Edwards ready to talk to them.

"Let's go somewhere where we can speak in private." The Major announced, motioning them to a private room. The Duke family followed, not sure whether or not to be nervous. Normally a talk in a private room meant trouble, but considering the secrecy surrounding the situation, it was understandable.

They arrived inside where they were introduced to Dr. Kilmer, who had seen Bo upon his arrival.

"The preliminary blood tests have come back." Dr Kilmer announced as the Major and the Dukes settled into chairs. "I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that he has a lot going through his system right now."

"We kinda figured that from his mannerism alone." Luke confirmed.

Dr. Kilmer nodded as the Major spoke up. "Before the doctor continues, I just want to let you know he can't go into details about the kind of drugs in Bo's system. You must realize that you have already been given far more information on the whole situation than you should have. I, especially, have risked discharge by allowing you the information you've gained so far."

"What drugs are in his system is far less concernin' ta me than what ya plan to do to git 'im back ta normal." Jesse admitted as Luke and Daisy nodded.

"Our main concern, of course, is the elimination of the failed enhancement drug…the emotion numbing drug that is making him violent."

"How will that happen, will it just wear off?" Daisy asked.

"As you might recall…" The Major announced. "Animal experiments have been performed with drugs using similar formulas. In those experiences, it showed that natural elimination often took four months or more."

"Four months!" Jesse snarled. "Ya mean ta tell me my nephew's gonna be like this for four months?"

"It could, if we went in that direction. But I don't think any of us want to do that, which is why our only other option is to try formula C-29X."

"What exactly is that?" Luke asked.

"It's another experimental drug, one that did show some success in flushing the animals of the other drug that was shown to have caused violence. "Dr. Kilmer explained. "The only problem is, according to the same lab experiments, there's a slight chance of further violence. The researchers are somewhat confident that this type of reaction would not occur on a human test subject. However, it has yet to be tested on a human."

"So my nephew's in all this trouble over experimental drugs and you're sittin' there askin' me ta let ya give him some more?" Jesse asked in disbelief.

"If we don't try this." Dr. Kilmer pressed. "...it could be a very, very long road to recovery."

"I don't like it, Jesse." Luke confirmed, standing up and crossing his arms. "I don't think we should let them give Bo this drug, not until they perform a human test on somebody else to make sure it's not gonna affect him in a negative way."

"Four months is a long time, Luke." Jesse had to admit. "Besides, where would they find a volunteer for a test like that, considerin' what's happened so far?"

"Right here." Luke replied, pointing toward his own chest.

_**Now what do ya'll think ole' Jesse's gonna have ta say about that**_


	17. Chapter 17

"Luke, you can't do that!" Daisy exclaimed.

"Are you outta your mind?" Jesse snarled. "You've seen fer yourself what them experimental drugs have done ta Bo. You want the same thing happenin' to you?"

"I just think Bo's been through enough. It was bad enough that he was buried alive, but now between the dreams and the hypnotism and the drugs, his mind's a mess. I ain't about to let somethin' else happen to him, not if I can help it."

"Dr. Kilmer." Daisy spoke up. "If the new drug is administered straight to Bo, what do you think we can expect?"

"Well, we can't beone hundred percentsure, but based on research, we're fairly certain that the outcome will be the complete elimination of the numbing drug which should return Bo to normal. The second possible outcome…." He began, looking to the Major for encouragement to continue. "……..is a slight chance that Bo's violence could be emphasized, both in time and in volume."

Jesse shook his head. "What makes you think that?"

"We have conducted animal tests on this drug as well. Of the 25 animals used in the experiment, only one showed the adverse reaction I mentioned. However, it was later shown that the animal had a disease not previously diagnosed. There's always a possibility that the animal may have had that reaction because of his disease. Either way, the overall test results were good."

"So, that fact aside, if Bo is given this drug, there's roughly a 4 percentchance that he could get sicker and stay that way longer?" Jesse asked.

"That's our theory, Mr. Duke. Of course, since we're not sure if the disease played a factor in the animal and there has been no human testing yet, we can't say that conclusively."

"And what about Luke? If he takes it, what can he expect?" Daisy asked.

"If he does take it, we are of the opinion that there's also about a 4 percent chance that he could show some symptoms that are similar to Bo's." Dr. Kilmer stated in a matter of fact way. "You see, the elimination drug is thought to work in a way some preventative injections or antibiotics do. Part of the drug is a weakened form of what was already given to Bo, such as many antibiotics are weakened forms of the disease a patient is suffering from. In Luke's case, with him having no previous exposure, the best way to look at it would be like looking at someone taking a flu shot: The preventative injection itself carries a risk of becoming sick, just as taking this experimental drug would."

"Okay, let's say Luke took it and it resulted in a worse case scenario. How long would he stay sick?"

"Although not on the same level as Bo, we think it would take 1-2 months for him to recover."

In a nutshell…." The Major began. "We know the best case scenarios. Worse case shows that Luke is given the drug and could be sick for up to two months, and Bo would still be sick for four, or the drug could be give directly to Bo, who could then stay sick for about 6 months. Again, that's worse case."

The Dukes sat and took it all in before Luke turned to Jesse. "What are you thinkin', Jess?"

"I'm thinkin' worst case don't look good no matter which direction we go."

"But Jesse." Luke argued. "Even if things do turn out bad, it sounds like I'm only gonna be sick two months. Either way, Bo would be better in four. Whereas, if they go ahead and give it to Bo without testing me first, we could be looking at six, and that'd put a real strain on us durin' harvest time."

Uncle Jesse eyed him slyly. "Ya think yer real smart, don't ya? I know that if Bo got bad off we'd not have him at harvest. But that don't concern me near as much as makin' sure that things turn out for the best for both you boys." He sighed. "I still don't like none of it. Not one bit. But I know you love Bo ever bit as much as I do and if this is somethin' you feel ya need to do fer him, then I'll not say nothin' more about it."

Luke offered his uncle a hug then turned to Dr. Kilmer. "When can we get started?" he asked.

XXXXXXXXXX

About two hours later, Luke was settled in a room in a restricted area of the hospital and the drug had been administered to him. Dr. Kilmer came out to inform Jesse and Daisy of the fact as they sat gripping each other's hand nervously.

"He's sleeping right now. It won't take long for the drug to be fully introduced to his system. That's when we will know something one way or another."

"And how is Bo doing right now?" Jesse asked.

"Mr. Duke, I'm afraid he's the same as when we brought him in. Foster and Dewberry did so much to try to correct their error that he's more or less over-drugged right now. We are currently working on a vigorous detox method to eliminate some of the other drugs in his system. Once we have cleared some of them, then we should be able to give him something to help him sleep."

"Can we see him?" Daisy asked.

Dr. Kilmer patted her on the shoulder. "I'm afraid not Miss. It wouldn't do him any good, and I'm certain it wouldn't do you any good. Later, when we're able to get him sedated, you will be welcome to visit."

Daisy nodded and Uncle Jesse thanked the doctor when he turned to leave. He had no sooner got out the door than Cooter came in.

"Hey Cooter! How did you know we were here?" Daisy asked.

"Word travels fast. Sheriff Little called Rosco and let him know what happened at the motel. Rosco told Enos who came and told me. Thought I better get down here in a hurry, find out what's goin' on for myself."

Since Cooter had been there when Major Edwards made the initial announcement concerning Bo, Jesse and Daisy filled him in on everything he had missed out on, from Major Edward's explanation to detailed events at the motel to the current situation with Luke. By the time it was all over, Cooter was pacing the floor.

"Just make me feel better. Tell me that Lukas had a chance to beat them doctor's to a pulp before they's thrown behind bars." He asked, beating a fist into his other hand.

"We's too busy attending to Bo to worry about that." Daisy admitted. "But given the chance in the future, I'm sure that Luke, and Bo, would be more than happy to make you feel better."

"Mr. Duke?"

The group looked up to see Dr. Kilmer standing in the door. "The drug has had time to work. Would you like to be there when we wake Luke up?"

Everyone had a nervous knot in the pit of their stomachs. Still, Jesse nodded. He grabbed his crutches and began to hop down the hall behind Dr. Kilmer as Daisy and Cooter followed.

After going past several restricted doors, they arrived at a room to find Luke laying there, appearing to sleep peacefully. They surrounded the bed.

"Are you ready?" Dr. Kilmer asked.

After everyone nodded, he looked at Daisy. "Call him."

"Luke." Daisy began, rubbing his hand the way she often did when he woke up at the farm. "Luke, time to wake up."

When he didn't immediately respond, she tried again. "Luke! Luke come on now. Sleeping time is over."

Looking at Uncle Jesse and Cooter, she leaned forward one more time. "Luke….."

Suddenly, Luke opened his eyes! Turning to Daisy with an evil stare, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him!

_**Yep, them worms outta that big ole' can are still crawlin' all over the place. I'd sure like to grab a handful of them about now and take off fishin'—and forget any of this is happenin'.**_


	18. Chapter 18

"Uncle Jesse!" Daisy exclaimed.

As Luke continued to pull her toward him, Cooter stepped forward to offer his assistance, placing his hand on Luke's arm. But Luke was persistent. In moments, when Daisy's head was near her cousin's, Luke leaned up to plant a wet kiss on her cheek.

"What?" Daisy asked mostly herself as Luke released her and grinned madly. As she felt her own cheek which was still damp from the kiss, her look of shock turned to anger.

"LUKE DUKE!" She exclaimed, using the strap of her purse to propel the bag into his stomach with a hearty thud. "How dare you scare me like that?" She asked as he lay doubled over from the blow.

"That wasn't funny Luke. We might've expected somethin' like that outta Bo, but not you!" Cooter added, looking as if he could belt Luke himself.

Jesse frowned as he looked back and forth from Daisy to Luke. "Ya mean to tell me he's alright?"

"Well, I was." Luke admitted, nursing a spot on his stomach that the buckle of the purse had caught.

"That's still to be decided." Dr. Kilmer announced moving forward to assist Luke into a sitting position. "How do you feel, Mr. Duke? Any pain? Nausea? Emotional issues?"

Luke paused and took a moment to note how he felt. Finally he shrugged his shoulders. "Everything seems okay, doc, 'cept for this spot on my stomach." He added, moving the gown over to note the red buckle welt.

Dr. Kilmer offered him a slight smile. "To be on the safe side, we will wait 30 more minutes to make sure nothing comes up. If it hasn't, then we will go ahead and administer the drug to Bo."

As the doctor left, Daisy smiled at Jesse. "Oh Uncle Jesse, maybe all this is finally coming to an end!"

"With any luck, all ya'll will be back at the farm by the weekend." Cooter estimated.

"And once we get there, my plans involve no more than sitting on the couch staring off into space for awhile, if I don't take a nap that is." Luke added.

"Oh, you might get yer chance to stare off into space, but I'm afraid you won't be doing it sittin' down." Jesse announced.

"Why? We get real behind on the chores?"

"Probably, but what I's tryin' to git at is the fact that you'll probably be too sore to sit. Ya got one comin' fer skeerin' us all like that."

Luke laughed. "I'm sorry, Uncle Jesse. It's just that the lot of you looked so serious standin' around me that I couldn't control myself."

"Yeah, well ya just better hope I can control myself when I git ahold of ya." Jesse replied, half serious, half joking.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

About an hour and a half later, the same group found themselves standing around Bo's bed. Luke had been observed for the required half hour and, after having shown no adverse symptoms, they felt comfortable enough in giving the drug to Bo. Now, enough time had passed for the drug to work, and they stood, prepared to wake him up.

"You want to do the honors again, miss?" Dr. Kilmer asked Daisy.

Daisy shook her head. "I think I'll leaveit to Luke here." She replied, stepping back toward Cooter who put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"Bo, c'mon man, time to get up." Luke began, giving him a little shake.

When Bo didn't immediately respond, Luke tried again. "C'mon Bo. Uncle Jesse needs help with the chores."

With that, Bo stirred a bit. "Five more minutes." He mumbled.

"Ain't no time for that." Luke grinned. At least Bo sounded like himself. "Come on, get up."

After some more restless tossing, Bo finally decided to open his eyes. He looked at Luke before letting his gaze travel around the bed to the other observants. Yawning then frowning in confusion, he finally asked. "Where am I?"

"You're at the Veterans Hospital in Atlanta." Jesse piped up. "You don't remember being brought here?."

Bo thought a minute. "I kinda remember being brought to a hospital, but why was I brought here? I ain't no veteran."

"It's a long story." Luke had to admit.

"We'll get into that later, Mr. Duke." Dr. Kilmer spoke up. "Let's talk about how you feel right now."

"Hey I remember you." Bo said, attempting to point but finding he was strapped down.

"Yes, I attended to you when you were brought in." Dr. Kilmer explained. "Are you in any pain?"

"No, other than I'm shaking like I'm cold, only I ain't cold." Bo replied, wondering why he felt that way.

"How do you feel emotionally? Happy? Depressed?"

Bo thought a minute. "Anxious."

Dr. Kilmer arched his eyebrow in surprise as he marked Bo's chart. "Anxious nervous or anxious excited?"

"Anxious nervous. But I'm sure it'll pass soon as I get untied here, or at least figure out why I'm tied up." Bo added.

Dr. Kilmer scribbled out the note. "Bo, let me ask you this. If someone who had made you mad were standing here right now, what would you do?"

"Probably beat 'im up." Bo admitted.

"You can't go on that, doc, that'd be Bo's reaction no matter what." Cooter pointed out.

Dr. Kilmer nodded. "Bo, if I unstrap you, do you think you will be okay?"

"I don't see why not."

With that Dr. Kilmer waved two beefy orderlies inside, just in case. Nodding at Luke, the pair went about loosening Bo's straps. When they were done, Bo rose and sat calmly, staring at the group.

"Whoa!" He said, feeling a wave of nausea. Spotting a restroom nearby, he hopped off the bed and rushed inside.

When he emerged a few minutes later, Daisy rushed over to him. "Oh Bo, are you alright?" She asked, hugging him.

"Yeah I'm okay now." Bo replied, kissing the top of her head. He then pulled her back and looked at her with a confused expression.

"What's the matter?" She asked.

"I don't' know." Bo replied. "I feel like I owe you an apology for somethin', but I don't know why."

"That's okay honey." She replied, giving him another squeeze. "You don't need to apologize for anything."

Bo spent the next few days in the hospital. As tremors and acute bouts of anger cropped up, he was administered new detox methods as needed. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, he couldn't recall many of the details of the past few days.Jesse was overjoyed when Bo finally returned to normal and was sent home, with a warning from Dr. Kilmer that the tremors could take several months to completely diminish.

The next morning Jesse woke up earlier than usual, ready to make a celebration breakfast as they had got in too late for a meal the night before. He was surprised when he walked into the kitchen and saw Luke sitting there, his head in his hands.

"Uncle Jesse, what are you doing up?" Luke asked, putting his hands on the table and trying to act nonchalant..

"I's gonna make breakfast. What about you?"

"Just thinkin'."

"Oh." Jesse replied. "About what?"

"Never mind, Jesse." Luke replied, slunking down in his seat and waving his hand as if to shoo Jesse away.

"Out with it." Jesse ordered, pulling out his chair at the table and sitting down. "We finally got that boy home in good condition and I'll not have nothin' spoilin' the celebration."

"I don't want you worryin' about it." Luke replied.

"Well the surest way to git me worryin' about somethin' is havin' to guess what it is yer ponderin' over." Jesse pointed out.

Luke took a deep breath and looked at his uncle. "It's Bo." He finally admitted.

"Oh." Jesse replied. "Well try not to worry about 'im, he's alright."

"Not exactly." Luke replied.

Jesse arched an eyebrow. "Whaddaya mean?"

"Uncle Jesse..." Luke began "...He had another nightmare last night."

_**Oh no! Don't tell me we're right back where we started!**_


	19. Chapter 19

_(A/N Greedy me still wants those chappy 18 reviews ya'll weren't able to post due to the site being messed up...if you would be ever so kind. Thanks for those from you who were able to post!)_

"You sure?" Jesse asked with a worried expression.

"I'm sure." Luke sighed. "See, now you're worried too. That's exactly what I didn't want to happen."

Jesse laid his hand on Luke's arm. "Luke, you listen to me. I know you, Bo and Daisy are grown, but we're all family, and until they cart me off to the cemetery, I'm still the head of this family and this house. I got a right to know what's goin' on with you kids. You understand?"

Luke gave a reluctant nod in response. There wasn't any use in hiding his thoughts now.

"It's just that I hate the whole thing, Jesse. Not only what these people have done to him to cause the nightmares in the first place, but the fact that he tried to get rid of 'em best he knew how and he come out worse on the other end."

"I know what ya mean." Uncle Jesse replied. "What we gotta do is figure out a way to help him git over 'em ourselves."

"Well, Major Edwards did tell us he would send a military approved hypnotist to help Bo free of charge, if that's what we wanted."

"No." Uncle Jesse snarled. "I'm done with them. Ever time one of 'em gits near the family, it causes nothin' but trouble."

Luke thought then shrugged his shoulders. "I guess we could all go over to the church and have group prayer for Bo."

He looked at Jesse who sat lost in thought.

"Uncle Jesse?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. A group prayer's a good idea but I got somethin' else in mind too. Somethin' that I think 'ill really help Bo."

"What is it?" Luke asked, perking with interest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Later that morning around 9, Bo woke with a jerk again. This dream wasn't nearly as bad as the one that had woke Luke at 3, but it was bad just the same. Bo sighed as he ran his arm across his sweat-drenched forehead. This was getting very old.

After he had showered and dressed, he walked into the living room. "Uncle Jesse? Luke? Daisy?" He shouted, looking around the house. He finally spied a note held onto the refrigerator with the help of a magnet. He took it off and began to read it.

Bo:

Breakfast is in the fridge. Me, Luke, and Daisy had some errands to run. Major Edwards is coming to see you around 10. You sit tight until he gets there.

Uncle Jesse

Bo wondered why the Major was coming to see him. He shrugged his shoulders and decided to eat. Later, he cleaned his dish and put it away just in time to hear someone pull up outside. The sound of footsteps and muffled conversation was followed by a knock at the door.

"Hello Major." Bo greeted the man whom he had met in the hospital, extending a hand for him to shake. The major accepted Bo's hand and motioned toward his companion.

"Hello Bo. I'd like you to meet Officer Chambers."

"Howdy." Bo nodded to the other uniformed man. "Why don't ya'll sit down?"

As soon as the three were settled into chairs, Major Edwards got right to the point. "Bo, I spoke with your Uncle Jesse this morning. He tells me you're still having the nightmares that first prompted you to see Dr. Dewberry."

Bo nodded, figuring Luke must had clued Jesse in. "Uh, yes sir."

"I'm here today because I'm fairly certain I can help you with that."

Bo looked at him curiously. "That would be great, Major, but you remember what happened the last time I took someone's unsolicited advice."

"There's no need to be nervous, Bo. I'll keep it very simple." He followed that announcement by getting up from his chair and standing in front of Bo. "Hit me."

"Come again?" Bo asked in disbelief.

"Stand up and hit me. Give me a good one." He said, pointing to his own stomach. "I want you to think about what Dewberry and Foster did to you. I want you to think about what the Mantooth boys did. I want you to think about it real hard. Then I want you to wind up all that anger and frustration, and put it right here."

Bo almost laughed. "I'm not gonna hit you! You didn't do anything to deserve it."

"Bo, I'm won't take no for an answer. Now I'm not leaving until you hit me."

"Well then." Bo replied, standing up and going to the refrigerator for a drink. "I'm afraid you're in for a long day."

"Now listen, young man. Your Uncle Jesse called me all the way up here from Atlanta to help you. Now I know a bit about your Uncle, enough to know he wouldn't take it too kindly to learn you wouldn't let me help you."

"Well, I'm sorry." Bo replied, taking a sip of lemonade. "I just don't see how hitting you is gonna help anything."

"You might be very surprised how much it could help."

Bo sighed, not wanting to hit the Major but not particularly wanting him to hang around all day either. "Okay. If I hit you, do you think you'll be able to give Jesse a good report?"

"I guarantee it." The major replied, bracing himself for the blow.

"Okay. Here it comes." Bo replied, following with a punch that probably wouldn't even bring a kindergartner to tears.

Suddenly, Officer Chambers stood up. "Bo Duke, I'm placing you under military arrest for assault."

"What?" Bo exclaimed, suddenly realizing they were serious as he was handcuffed and led outside. "What's going on here? This is bogus!" He shouted, as they placed him in the hummer and pulled away.

**_Ain't them Dukes ever gonna learn it's not a good idea to leave Bo by himself?_**

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple of hours later, Bo watched out the window as the skyline of Atlanta came into view, a city he had just left the day before with a vow to himself not to return to for some time.

He had stopped asking where they were going. The two in the front refused to answer him, no matter how angry Bo got. The only stop they had made on the way was at the Hazzard Courthouse where the Major had gone inside and emerged a few minutes later with some paperwork issued by the judge. Bo had no idea what that stop had been about, or if it even concerned him.

Bo thought about his family. To them, he was missing again. Bo figured if it kept happening then one day they would get tired of looking for him and simply stop. As he stared at the back of the Major's head, he wished for an opportunity at that punch again.

Soon they had made their way through the city to the outskirts when the officer, who was driving, exited the interstate. Bo opened his mouth in shock when they turned onto a drive with a sign saying they were at the Georgia State Penitentiary.

"Why did you bring me here?" Bo demanded as the hummer finally came to a stop.

"Just get out, Duke." The officer replied, opening the back door and pulling Bo out.

As Bo was walked through the gates, he passed by the outdoor area where some of the prisoners were on the yard.

"Hey Bo!" One of them said, rushing up to the gate and walking along with Bo on the other side.

"Pete McDonald?" Bo asked, recognizing one of the boys he had known all his life. Pete had also been a ridge runner, caught about the same time as Bo and Luke had. Unfortunately, his grandpa never offered the government a deal to keep him out of prison.

"Heard you'd be here today." Pete announced.

"How?" Bo asked in disbelief.

"Hey, you don't have to be IN Hazzard to know what's going on there, you just gotta be FROM Hazzard."

"Yeah, well then maybe you can tell me what I did to deserve to be here, 'cause these guys certainly ain't talking'" Bo replied. But there wasn't time for an answer as he was led through the doors of the prison.

"Ah, Bo Duke." The lady guard behind the front desk nodded, looking at Bo's paperwork moments later. "Sentenced to one day in the Georgia State Penn for assaulting a military official."

"Sentenced?" Bo asked, realizing that must have been the Major's business in the courthouse. "Look lady, I didn't do nothin' to him that he didn't ask for. Now ya'll got no right to keep me here!"

"You'll need to change into these clothes while you're here." She continued as if she hadn't heard him. "Mr. Witt, will you accompany this prisoner?"

Bo turned to look at another guard who pointed him down the hall. With no choice but to do as he said, Bo slunk down the hall offering Major Edwards a hateful stare.

By the time he had changed into the drab gray prison garments, he returned to the front to find the Major and Officer gone. Mr. Witt then led him in another direction. Bo assumed he was being led to a cell but instead, he led him down a hall with a sign directing passers-by to the yard. "At least I'll have Pete to talk to." Bo thought when Witt opened the door.

Bo stepped outside, noting that the overcast sky blended perfectly with the drab prison. He then noticed something strange. He was the only one in the yard.

"What…." Bo started to ask, turning to Witt. But Witt closed the door. Bo walked toward it and twisted the knob, but it was locked.

With nothing else to do, Bo wandered the yard a bit, observing his surroundings and trying to figure out just how in the heck he ended up here. Looking around, there was no one to be seen except a few guards who stood atop the building at various locations, watching him.

Soon there was a sound off to his right. Bo watched as four men were pushed through a separate door, the guard locking them out as well. Bo squinted as they talked to each other then looked at him. As they began marching toward him, his confusion turned to horror.. It was Charlie and Horace Mantooth, Dr. Dewberry, and Dr. Foster!

"My my my how the tables have turned." Charlie sneered as they came toward him.

"Ya know Bo, I really liked you when I first met you. But there's something about being in prison that just gives you a whole new attitude." Dr. Dewberry announced with a wicked grin.

"Listen ya'll, I didn't do nothin' to any of you, ya'll all brought your problems on your own selves." Bo argued as he backed toward the same door he had came through earlier. Fear gripped him as he realized that, for whatever reason, the Major had deliberately set this up.

"Nothin'? Nothin'?" Horace mocked. "Look at this tooth. This one right in front. Now are you gonna tell me you didn't have nothin' to do with it getting' chipped? That happened when you stuck your big nose in our business and kept us from gettin' away with that money from the bank in the first place."

"Well I reckon you got whatever revenge you thought you's due when you beat me up and buried me in the ground!" Bo yelled.

"Wrong. We ain't got all of it. You see, we're here today 'cause that no good cousin of yours opened his big trap and let folks know what was goin' on. Well, he ain't here to git his, so I guess you'll hafta take his place." Charlie added, flexing his fingers.

"And I suppose you're gonna stand there and tell us you don't remember beating us up back in that hotel room?" Dr. Foster asked Bo, who peered at the doctors and noticed their bruised and swollen faces for the first time.

"No, I don't." Bo answered honestly, not able to remember the hotel let alone beating anyone up there.

"Point is, Duke." Charlie spoke up again. "You're a pretty good scrapper when it's one on one, or maybe even one on two. But there's a question I'm just dying to ask you."

"What is it?" Bo asked with clenched fists.

"How does it feel to know you're outnumbered?"

I _**don't know about ole' Bo there, but as for me, it feels like it's high time to hunt some more under britches.**_


	20. Chapter 20

Bo opened his mouth to respond.

"I don't know, you tell me."

In surprise he turned around, because the words had not come from his mouth.

Luke Duke stood there with arms crossed, wearing gray garments that matched his cousin.

"Luke!" Bo exclaimed, both in surprise and relief. "How did you get in here?"

"Same as you, assaulting a military official." He replied, eyeing the Mantooths especially.

Charlie laughed out loud. "Looks like you're not any better at math now than you were when you initially tried to replace that fifty grand." He sneered. "Two doesn't outnumber four."

"Yeah, you see, you gotta have at least five to do that." Horace laughed, holding up five fingers before he gave Charlie a playful jab on the shoulder.

"Oh you can't hold it against 'im, Horace, he's a Hazzard County boy. You see, the schools there are on a limited budget, so they have to distribute the funds where they're most needed. So they've always took 'em outta arithmetic and sunk it all into their FFA programs."

As the four laughed, Luke shook his head. "I'm sorry, Horace, did you say it'd take five?" He asked, holding up his fingers as Horace had.

As Horace laughed and nodded, the door behind the Dukes opened up again, delivering into the yard Cooter, Enos and Pete, all wearing the prison issues!

"Lets see now…." Luke began, pointing to each member of the group as Horace's laugh quickly stopped. "One, two, three, four, five. Now we may be a bunch of dumb Hazzard County boys, but from what you just said, I believe that means we got more than you."

Now the doctors and Mantooths stood nervously looking at the rooftops where the guards stood watching. From a far off distance, the sound of a whistle could be heard. At the whistle, all of the guards turned and disappeared from their posts!

"What the…." Dr. Foster began, speaking for the four of them. He chose not to finish, instead, taking the time to turn and make a run for it.

As the others followed his example, Bo was the first to take off in pursuit. While he would easily enjoy getting his hands on any one of them, he especially sought out Horace. After all, he was the one who had probably come the closest to taking Bo's life when he disconnected his oxygen supply at the cemetery. He was a good runner, Bo learned. He reached the fence at the far end of the yard before he turned around swinging, catching Bo across the jaw.

Luke set his sights on Charlie as he had dealt very little with the other three. He caught up to him and tackled him to the ground, delivering the punches he so well deserved.

It wasn't hard for Cooter to decide on Dr. Dewberry, especially since he had learned that Dr. Foster would never have shown up and the experiments would never have taken place with Bo had it not been for the hypnotist.

Enos was left to deal with Dr. Foster which was a pretty good match. The doctor was on the elderly side and while Enos was a law officer, he wasn't as built for brawling as the Dukes or Cooter. He caught up to the doctor and caught him by the arm, swinging him against the fence.

Pete McDonald stood just enjoying the view for awhile. He hadn't seen a good old fashioned Hazzard County rumble like this since his last trip to the Boar's Nest.

And so the four friends fought with nary a guard to put a stop to it. Each of them experienced a yo-yo effect in their brawl, sometimes gaining the upper hand, sometimes finding themselves on the bottom. But as time wore on, it became very clear that the good ole' boys would come out victorious in this one.

As Bo wrestled Horace down for the last time and raised his fist to deliver a knock-out punch, he was stopped by Luke.

"Hang on Bo!" Luke commanded, grabbing his punching arm.

"Why?" Bo asked, turning toward his cousin and wondering if his own face looked as sweaty and bloody as Luke's did.

"'Cause we're gonna do this right." Luke replied.

Bo looked around and noticed that Dr. Dewberry was on his knees with Cooter behind him. The rugged mechanic had the doctor's arms locked behind him with his own, preventing him from changing positions or doing much moving. Pete administered the same treatment to Charlie while Enos had Dr. Foster in a similar position. Luke gently pushed Bo away and took Horace, putting him in the same humiliating position as his friends.

"Now listen up." Luke announced to the four prisoners who found themselves kneeling in a row. "My cousin here's got a few things to say and ya'll are all gonna stay quiet and listen or else."

"I do?" Bo asked.

"Yeah you do, Bo. Tell 'em they're the scum of the earth. Tell 'em they ain't worthy to polish your boots. Dang it, tell 'em whatever you need to!"

Bo was flabbergasted. He never expected this opportunity. Not in a million years. He quickly found himself pacing back and fourth in front of the group, a million thoughts going through his head. He was so busy pacing and thinking that he didn't hear the faraway cheers from the cell block where the prisoners watched from their tiny windows, or his Uncle Jesse commanding him to 'let 'em have it.' from outside the fence where he had watched the whole exchange unnoticed.

"I supposed I could do that, Luke." He finally said, walking over to Horace. "I supposed I could tell you that you ARE the scum of the earth." He then walked to Charlie. "And I supposed I could tell you that you AREN'T worthy to polish my BARN boots." He then walked to the doctors. "And I supposed I could sit here and tell the two of you how I would just love to take the pair of you off somewhere and feed you so many drugs you'd be madder and act crazier than a wet hen." He then stood up. "And I could say all of that and every bit of it would be true. But most folks who know me pretty well, know that I'm the type to let my actions speak for me."

With that, he walked over to Horace, delivering a right cross that sent him to dreamland. But he didn't stop there. Charlie was the next to receive the courtesy, followed by Dewberry, then by Foster. As Foster fell to the ground, out cold, Bo looked up at Luke. For the first time in weeks, he gave his cousin a big heartfelt smile. With a laugh, he ran over and topped it off with a hug.

Luke enthusiastically returned the hug, scolding Bo a bit when his younger cousin picked him up in the air. "Feel better now?" Luke asked, patting his back when his feet finally touched the ground again..

"Almost." Bo admitted, pulling away from Luke. "But I'm countin' on Pete there to complete the puzzle."

Pete and Luke looked quizzically at each other then at Bo, noticing a mischievous grin and a twinkle in his eye that hadn't been evident in a long time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Uncle Jesse woke up earlier than usual the next morning. It wasn't that there was anything to do or anywhere to go, it was just one of those mornings where one wakes up spontaneously, seemingly completely rested despite the early hour.

Because it was too early to even start breakfast, he chose to lay in his bed and ponder on the events of the day before.

Despite his bad ankle, he had leapt for joy outside that prison fence as he watched his youngest nephew knock out each of the men who had been responsible for all the misery he had endured. He was convinced at that moment that nothing could be more satisfying for Bo. He was almost right.

He later learned that Bo had asked Pete to direct them to the prison morgue. Each of the Hazzard boys had hoisted an unconscious opponent over their shoulder, following Pete as he lead the way. Jesse later learned that the group had secured each of the opponents in a wooden box, just as Bo had been. He laughed to himself as he imagined how they must have felt when they finally came to. It seemed to be poetic justice.

Jesse had watched with satisfaction after the events as Bo gave Major Edwards a handshake and heartfelt thanks. It was the Major who had arranged for the guards to go on 'break' at just the right time. And because he had been there, all the security cameras had went down at the most opportune time After the fight had ended, it was 'discovered' that a terrible mistake had been made in the sentencing. Hitting a military official only merited a warning for a first offence. Therefore, all the warrants and any other paperwork showing that they had even been there had been destroyed. Of course, the other prisoners weren't going to say anything. Pete had a pretty strong following there. And it helped a lot, too, that the warden owed Major Edwards a favor.

So, with a stop by the church on the way home, the Dukes returned to the farm that very night, the biggest problem on their minds being how they were going to raise the money for the roof repair. But the solution to that problem lay in the beat up mailbox. Luke had been sent an unexpected yet sizeable check, a compensation for his voluntary efforts in accepting the reversal drug eventually administered to Bo.

Jesse was lulled back to the present when a soft rain began to patter the metal roof.. Unable to help himself any longer, he threw the blanket aside and tiptoed to the boys' room. Opening the door a bit so the bathroom light could shine on their faces, he noticed that each of them sported some ugly bruises and nasty scratches from the fight. But the smiles on their faces were two of the most amazing things he had ever seen. They were smiles of contentment, of satisfaction, and most importantly, peace.

As he pulled the door closed once again, he noticed that it was beginning to get light outside. Trudging toward the back door, he sat on the stoop and watched as the shadows gained color, form, and identity. As he thought about how things were truly alright once again, he smiled contently as the rain fell on him.

**_Aw, don't ya just loooooooooove those happy endings?_**

**_THE END_**


End file.
